Photo: Contributed

Historic Hat Creek Ranch near Cache Creek is on evacuation alert.

A piece of British Columbia history is under threat from wildfire.

Historic Hat Creek Ranch, 14 kilometres north of Cache Creek, has been placed on evacuation alert while the community of 16 Mile has been ordered evacuated.

An employee at Hat Creek said they were packing things up and getting ready to leave at a moment's notice.

“There are a lot of people helping right now,” she said frantically Tuesday afternoon before getting off of the telephone.

Hat Creek Ranch was one of the stopping points for people hoping to strike it rich in the Cariboo Gold Rush.

It features an historic hotel and numerous other buildings as well as cattle and other farm animals.

This is the second time fire has threatened the ranch this year.