Thousands chased from homes by wildfire threat in northeast B.C.

FORT NELSON, B.C. — Thousands of people in northeast British Columbia were ordered to evacuate and flee south late Friday as a fast-growing wildfire neared the town of Fort Nelson.

The evacuation order was issued by the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality and Fort Nelson First Nations around 7:15 p.m., with residents being told to flee to Fort St. John, 380 kilometres away.

The communities were being threatened by an out-of-control wildfire that the municipality said was about 12 kilometres west of the Fort Nelson, after it exploded in size late Friday.