UPDATE: 4:20 p.m.
The status of a wildfire in the Monte Lake area remained the same Thursday afternoon, with no new growth reported. All evacuation orders and alerts remained in place.
Although the BC Wildfire Service had not confirmed the destruction of any structures, it is known that at least one house was burned overnight.
"We have 26 firefighters on scene with three pieces of heavy equipment and two helicopters overhead," said Max Birkner, fire information officer.
"Firefighters will be on the lines overnight."
UPDATE: 11:40 a.m.
A wildfire threatening homes in the Monte Lake area was 30 per cent contained by late Thursday morning.
"It remains at 150 hectares in size and is not really active right now," said Max Birkner of the BC Wildfire Centre at the scene of the Martin Mountain fire. "It is a smouldering grass fire right now."
Three air tankers were tackling the fire while 24 firefighters and two pieces of heavy equipment remained active on the ground.
Castanet has received unconfirmed reports that at least one house has been lost.
Birkner said earlier that homes had been threatened by the wildfire.
Evacuation alerts and orders remain in effect.
UPDATE: 10:50 a.m.
Highway 97 has partially reopened at the Monte Lake wildfire, DriveBC reports.
The road is now open to single-lane, alternating traffic.
Motorists are advised to expect delays.
UPDATE: 9:18 a.m.
A wildfire near Monte Lake was estimated at 150 hectares and growing Thursday morning. Evacuation orders and alerts remained in place and it was not yet known if any structures had been damaged or destroyed.
Reconnaissance aircraft were flying over the area this morning, said Max Birkner, BC Wildfire Centre information officer.
“We've had 31 firefighters on scene overnight,” Birkner said.
Birkner refused to speculate on the cause of the Martin Mountain wildfire which ignited Wednesday afternoon near the highway, stating that a fire origin cause team would be on scene to investigate. However, the centre's website stated the fire was human caused.
“The fire did threaten some homes and evacuation alerts and orders remain in place. It was very close to some homes. Right now, we have no confirmation structures have been lost.”
Highway 97 by Monte Lake remains closed in both directions.
ORIGINAL STORY: 6:30 a.m.
More people have been forced to flee their homes as wildfires continue to burn across British Columbia.
A rapidly moving fire near Monte Lake, between Vernon and Kamloops, prompted the Thompson-Nicola Regional District to declare a local state of emergency and issue two evacuation orders Wednesday night covering about 60 properties.
BC Wildfire Service information officer Rachel Witt said the fire had burned about one square kilometre and crews were responding with all available resources.
"We currently have air support as well as ground support assigned to this incident," she said, confirming homes are at risk. There is no word if any structures have been lost.
Other properties along the eastern shore of Monte Lake, as well as several north and west of the community, are on evacuation alert, which means residents may need to leave at a moment's notice.
Evacuees have been told to head to Kamloops, where thousands of others have taken refugee as more than 150 fires burn across the province.
–with files from The Canadian Press