Wildfire near Lytton prompts local state of emergency, evacuation order

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District has declared a local state of emergency for the Blue Sky Country region, and two evacuation orders have been issued due to an encroaching out-of-control wildfire near Lytton, B.C.

Three properties being threatened by the Izman Creek fire on Highway 12 at Laluwissan Creek have been ordered to evacuate as the blaze poses "immediate danger to life."

The BC Wildfire Service says the Izman Creek wildfire near Highway 12 is about 25 hectares in size.

Highway 12 between Lytton and Lillooet is closed because of the blaze, with only local traffic permitted through the area.

Two properties being threatened by the Nikaiai Creek wildfire on Spencer Road South have also been ordered to evacuate.

The BC Wildfire Service says the Nikaia Creek wildfire is about six hectares in size and is one of more than 70 wildfires burning across the province.

It says crews, supported by firefighters from Lytton First Nation, made "good progress" overnight, and they are now focused on the north and south flanks of the blaze.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District also issued an evacuation alert Monday night for nine properties in the Harper Lake area near Chase, B.C., due to the rapidly growing Mount Scatchard wildfire.

The blaze, which was discovered Monday and is about 35 hectares in size, also prompted the Neskonlith Indian Band to issue an evacuation order for 40 properties on Monday.

The BCWS dashboard says hot and dry weather is expected to continue this week across most of B.C.

It says northwest B.C. has cooler weather, as central and northeast B.C. are seeing warm seasonal temperatures.

But the dashboard says southern B.C. will see very hot weather conditions, with temperatures five to 10 degrees above seasonal averages.

It says thunderstorms are also expected to increase provincewide, with lightning risk peaking Tuesday.

"Given the ongoing dry and warm conditions, there is an increase in the potential for wildfires with the risk for dry lightning," it says.

About 85 per cent of the fires burning in B.C. are believed to be caused by lightning, while 15 per cent are believed to be human caused.