Fourteen rural properties west of Kaslo have been placed on evacuation alert due to a wildfire on Briggs Creek.
The Regional District of Central Kootenay issued the alert this evening for the properties, which are all on Kaslo Creek South Fork Road with the numbers 2130, 2138, 2140, 2150, 2160, 2180, 2188, 2194, 2198, 2201, 2209, 2215, 2221, and 2225. It was not immediately clear how many people live there.
The fire, which was discovered today and is believed to have been caused by lightning, is estimated at 386 hectares.
The fire is about 6.5 kilometers from South Fork and 11.5 kilometers west of Kaslo.
The RDCK say residents are not required to evacuate, but should be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.
The BC Wildfire Service says the fire is “a highly vigorous surface fire with a moderate to fast rate of spread.”
Ground crews were en route this evening with support from a helicopter. The wildfire service said the fire is “highly visible” from Kaslo and area but was not immediately threatening structures or infrastructure.
The BC Wildfire dashboard also shows a new fire at Koch Creek in the Slocan Valley. It was discovered today and is estimated at 0.5 of a hectare. It too was started by lightning.
A new fire is also burning in the Purcell Mountains between East and West Kootenay. The Stair Lakes fire is estimated at 40 hectares.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story erroneously stated that 13 properties are affected.