Update: Fire north of Hope now being held

Aviation, ground crews and a response officer were mobilizing. Nearby residents report the fire was mostly out later in the evening.

The cause remains under investigation.

Roughly 50 kilometres away, at the Brunswick Creek Complex, there have been no changes to the evacuation orders and alerts issued across the Fraser Valley Regional District after the recent downgrades in North Bend and Canyon Alpine, Fishblue Lake area, Nahatlatch and North Boothroyd area, Boston Bar, and Scuzzy Creek south of Boston Bar.

Hell’s Gate to Sawmill Creek, including Spuzzum, remains on an evacuation order. Sawmill Creek to Dogwood Valley also remains on evacuation alert.

The FVRD released an updated travel map amid changing evacuation circumstances.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) has expanded its evacuation order in response to the Ainslie Creek fire west of Merritt.

(Image Credit: FVRD)

Highway 5 to Merritt remains open, but drivers are asked to plan for delays as there is an evacuation order right beside it.

“We are not saying the highway is closed,” said the FVRD. “Just be aware.”

Highway 8 can be used as an alternative re-entry route as evacuation orders have been downgraded to alerts in the area.

BCWS says while there was increased activity on the south and western corner of the Brunswick Creek fire, upslope and away from key structures in the canyon, there had been no extreme growth in any direction throughout Friday.

“As smoke continues to clear, activity will increase particularly along the southern flank,” said the agency. “We expect to see aggressive fire behaviour across the Brunswick Complex in the coming days as the fire gets more direct sun and wind.”

The Brunswick Creek Complex has grown to a total of 54,301 hectares, roughly 4.7 times the size of Vancouver’s city proper.

by Alyssa Conti

Update: Fire north of Hope now being held

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