(UPDATE: July 2 @ 2:05 pm) - Earlier today, the Kamloops Professional Firefighters' Association (KPFA) tweeted that "we're not out of the woods yet" in regards to the Valleyview wildfire that forced hundreds of residents to evacuate overnight.
The KPFA said that the fire in Juniper Ridge will likely flare up again due to the hot temperatures, and exactly that has happened.
Heavy smoke is starting to billow from the area once again and BC Wildfire Service personnel continue to assist Kamloops Fire Rescue with suppression efforts.
There are 21 BCWS personnel at the scene, along with air tankers and helicopters helping from the sky.
NowMedia will update this story as more information becomes available.
(UPDATE: July 2 @ 10:15 am) - The evacuation order of Capilano Drive and Nechako Drive in Juniper Ridge has been rescinded.
The wildfire that lit up the southeast Kamloops neighbourhood overnight is now listed as under control.
Firefighters will continue to action hot spots on the fire today with assistance from the air.
Residents are asked to avoid the area to allow work to continue safely.
(UPDATE: July 2 @ 8:10 am) - Kamloops residents are waking up to some positive news regarding the sizeable wildfire that engulfed part of the Valleyview neighbourhood overnight.
The City of Kamloops says the fire is currently listed as under control, although it's pending an air assessment by the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) this morning.
Evacuation orders remain in place for dozens of properties in Juniper Ridge, with Kamloops Fire Rescue (KFR) platoon captain Troy Grant estimating that around 200 people are out of their homes.
However, the City says that no structures have been lost in the fire and that an initial count has identified 400 homes saved on the immediate fire perimeter, valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
"The efforts of the men and women of KFR, Kamloops RCMP and the BCWS have been nothing short of heroic," said KFR Chief Steve Robinson.
"The terrain is steep and varied which makes firefighting difficult, especially throughout the night."
(Original story: July 2 @ 5:45 am) - Another lightning storm rolled through Kamloops on Thursday night, sparking multiple wildfires on its way through.
One of those fires quickly grew, engulfing the hillside around the Juniper Ridge and Valleyview neighbourhoods.
As it spread, the flames lit up the city with an orange glow as residents scrambled to leave their homes as quickly as possible.
The City of Kamloops issued an evacuation order, which was rescinded shortly before midnight and then put back into effect around an hour later.
It remains in place at this time for dozens of Juniper Ridge properties on Nechako Drive and Capilano Drive.
Kamloops Fire Rescue platoon captain Troy Grant didn’t have the exact number of residents who were forced to leave their homes overnight.
However, he said some 200 people in Juniper Ridge had been evacuated as the fast-moving fire advanced toward the area.
Grant added that local crews were being heavily taxed battling the fire but he was not aware of any structures being burned or any injuries among residents.
Some residents weren’t happy with the City’s decision to rescind the order prematurely.
“You really f***ed up with the all-clear tweet,” wrote one resident on Twitter.
“We were at (a) friends and headed home as a result of your tweet and now we are stuck, as it is too late to go knocking on doors. Not happy at all!”
Making things even more difficult, the Kamloops Reception Centre for evacuees at Sandman Centre was at full capacity at 12:30 am, as it was already supporting Lytton residents before Thursday night.
Residents were told to evacuate to Chilliwack, where an emergency reception centre is set up at Chilliwack Secondary School.
The City has asked all residents and businesses to “immediately cease all irrigation to protect water supply for fire crews.”
There were 20 BC Wildfire Service and Kamloops Fire Rescue personnel battling the blaze overnight.
A bird dog spotter took to the air at 5:30 am today and air crews began attacking the fire from above at 6 am.
This is a developing story and NowMedia will continue to provide updates as they become available.
