Evacuation order downgraded to evacuation alert for several areas near the Sparks Lake wildfire

Photo: BC Wildfire Service

The Sparks Lake fire is burning northwest of Kamloops.

UPDATE: 8:34 p.m.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District has downgraded more evacuation orders for the Sparks Lake Wildfire in Electoral Area “J” (Copper Desert Country) to an evacuation alert.

The following 74 properties are now on evacuation alert:

• 3328 to 3988 Copper Creek Rd;
• 3401 to 3433 McBride Rd;
• 3385 to 3493 Red Lake Dr;
• 3453 to 3473 Strom Pl;
• 8510 to 8660 Tranquille Criss Creek Rd
• any other properties on the map below

Photo: TNRD

Map for evacuation alert

UPDATE: 7:55 p.m.

A portion of the evacuation order issued for the Sparks Lake Wildfire in Electoral Area “J” (Copper Desert Country) has been downgraded to an evacuation alert for the following seven addressed properties:

• 1280 to 2245 Copper Creek Rd;
• 2040 to 3672 Sabiston Creek Rd;
• 7788 to 7821 Savona Station Rd; and
• any other properties identified on the map below.

Photo: TNRD

UPDATE: 6:52 p.m.

The amended evacuation order issued for the properties near the Sparks Lake wildfire has been downgraded to evacuation alert for the area west of Alpine Valley.

Photo: TNRD

ORIGNAL: 4 a.m.

Firefighters are working to secure the southeast flank of a massive fire burning near Kamloops to ensure the blaze will not get any closer to the community.

The Sparks Lake fire is burning northwest of Kamloops. As of Wednesday, the fire covers an estimated 66,000 hectares — more than 650 square kilometres.

On Wednesday, BC Wildfire Service fire information officer Forrest Tower said crews are working the south and southeast sections of the blaze, letting the north burn for the time being.

The southeast perimeter of the fire is about 24 kilometres northwest of Kamloops city limits at Tranquille.

“Right now they’re kind of working south … to build machine guard and use hand ignitions to ensure the fire can’t spread any further east and southeast,” Tower said.

“Obviously our primary communities are in that direction.”

Tower said the northern flank of the Sparks Lake blaze has been extremely active in recent days. He said BC Wildfire Service officials have decided to let the northern flank burn unopposed for now.

“We have no resources on the northern part of the Sparks Lake fire — we don’t have any heavy equipment, we don’t have any firefighters up there,” he said.

“Really our focus is the southern half of the fire. If we can get those control lines secure and contained, that’s when the BC Wildfire Service will be able to put in recommendations to the regional district to start thinking about downgrading orders.

“It’s a top priority for us to secure this and [prevent] the growth toward larger communities, and allow us to get people back in their homes.”