Wildfire burning in Manning Park has grown to 8,663 hectares

Photo: BCWS

The northeast corner of Heather Lake Wildfire, burning last Wednesday.

The fire burning in Manning Provincial Park has grown to 8,663 hectares in size.

The Heather Lake fire was first sparked on Aug. 21 in the United States and it crossed the border in early September.

About 3,743 hectares of the fire are now burning on the Canadian side of the border.

The lightning-sparked fire has grown substantially in the forested area south of Highway 3, approximately five kilometres south of Manning Park Resort.

As a result, the resort is under an evacuation alert. Additionally, a large part of the Manning Provincial Park is under an evacuation order, while the community of Eastgate is also under an evacuation alert.

In a Sunday update, the BC Wildfire Service says they're expecting increased fire behaviour today, as winds are forecast to come in from the southeast.

“Wildfire crews will be utilized to protect identified values and support necessary strategies and tactics as required,” the BCWS says.

“Structure protection personnel are currently assessing and triaging structures and installing equipment to protect values. A water tender will continue to restock relay tanks used for crews and structure protection activities.”

Smoke will continue to cause visibility issues on the nearby Highway 3. The smoky skies seen in the Okanagan Sunday are largely due to the Heather Lake fire.

There are currently 23 firefighters working on the fire, along with five helicopters and one piece of heavy equipment.

Photo: BCWS

The Heather Lake fire boundary as of Sunday.