100 MILE HOUSE, B.C. — A wildfire in British Columbia's Cariboo region has scorched more than 12 square kilometres of bush west of 100 Mile House.
The BC Wildfire Service says heavy smoke makes it difficult to determine the exact size of the fire, but it has grown exponentially since being reported Thursday along the Gustafsen forest service road about 10 kilometres west of 100 Mile House.
The Cariboo Regional District Emergency Operations Centre expanded an evacuation order late Thursday to residents on 33 properties west of 105 Mile House.
A reception centre for evacuees has been set up at a local curling rink in 100 Mile House and Cariboo Regional District Chair Al Richmond says seven people had reported by Thursday.
Richmond says wildfire service crews, working with local fire departments, continue to battle the flames, backed by air tankers, helicopters and other heavy equipment, but the fire remains out of control.
The situation is serious, Richmond says, but he does not want anyone to over-react.
"We had a fellow going door-to-door in some communities (Thursday) telling people to get out and so we had to try to hunt him down with the RCMP to stop that," he says.
The communities of 105 Mile House and 108 Mile Ranch are not affected by the evacuation orders.
The wildfire service has doubled the number of firefighters, with 120 people now assigned to the fire lines, assisted by a 25-person incident-management team and support staff.
A cause of the fire is under investigation.
