Hundreds of properties under evacuation orders as B.C. wildfire explodes in size

The Brunswick Creek fire near Boston Bar is still burning out of control and has now forced the closure of Highway 1.

A raging wildfire that has left hundreds of properties under evacuation orders and shut down the Trans-Canada Highway in British Columbia’s Fraser Canyon exploded in size overnight.

The Brunswick Complex fire covered an estimated 114 square kilometres on Wednesday morning, comprising the 2,594-hectare Brunswick Creek fire and the 8,816-hectare Ainslie Creek fire.

Both fires are burning out of control and the Ainslie Creek fire is believed to have been sparked by an ember from the Brunswick Creek fire, which is suspected to have been caused by human activity.

The fire complex, which now spans the Fraser River north of the community of Boston Bar, is also burning on both sides of the Trans-Canada Highway, prompting the B.C. Transportation Ministry to close the highway for 10.5 kilometres through the fire zone.

The province’s transportation website, Drive BC, says Highway 1 remains closed between Boston Bar Station Road and Ainslie Road North.

Five evacuation orders are in effect, including for three areas within the Fraser Valley Regional District, one in the Boothroyd Indian Band and another in the Boston Bar First Nation.

Two evacuation alerts are also in place for properties within the regional district.

The B.C. Wildfire Service says 160 firefighters are battling the fire complex along with 12 helicopters and 23 pieces of heavy equipment. Fifty-eight structure protection personnel are also assigned to the blaze and are being assisted by firefighters from several municipal departments in the area.

Inaccessible terrain, coupled with thick smoke and high winds have hampered efforts to contain the blazes, which have triggered air-quality warnings across a large swath of the B.C. Interior from Hope to Kamloops to Bella Coola.

“Cooler temperatures will briefly return by the end of the week, but no appreciable rain is expected in the short-term forecast,” the provincial wildfire service said in an update.

As of Wednesday morning, there were 20 active wildfires burning in B.C., including five that are listed as out of control.