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Kelowna  

Locals to massive wildfire

Kelowna firefighters are driving to Fort St. James to help battle wildfires burning out of control.

Numerous wildfires, including the Shovel Lake wildfire, are burning in the Prince George Fire Centre region.

Larry Hollier, deputy chief of operations at Kelowna Fire Department, left Tuesday morning to help.

“When they are short on resources, they draw from different municipalities,” he said. “Four firefighters from Kelowna are going.”

The firefighters will stay for seven to 10 days.

“We have one bush truck and one command vehicle,” he added.

Lake Country and Peachland both sent a tender truck and a crew on Monday to help with the fires.

The Shovel Lake fire is currently estimated at 31,500 hectares in size.

“The fire did take a run late last night, five kilometres to the east,” the BC Wildfire Service says. “The fire crossed the Trout Forest Service Road in a few locations.”

A planned ignition took place today on the west side of the blaze, which is burning northwest of Endako.

An evacuation order was expanded on Monday and remains in effect for the Bulkley Nechako Regional District. For more information on evacuation alerts and orders visit this link.



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