Hundreds of people remain out of their homes after evacuation orders were issued earlier this week near the small community of Houston, B.C., as the raging China Nose wildfire closed in on homes and property.
However, enough progress has been made to reopen Highway 16 although the B.C. Wildfire Management Branch warns it could close at a moment's notice. The highway has reopened from 4 km east of Topley to 18 km west of Burns Lake and the fire itself is now 20 per cent contained
On Friday, residents of approximately 60 rural properties southeast of Houston were told to leave their homes "due to immediate danger," while a wider area was put on evacuation alert.
The size of the fire, burning 15 kilometres southeast of Houston, has been reduced slightly from 4,000 to 3,700 hectares since it was discovered Monday.
Ground crews on Thursday created containment lines to the north, west and east of the fire. Helicopters dropped buckets of water on Friday.
On Wednesday, a state of local emergency was declared and 19 properties near Houston were put under an evacuation order. B.C. Parks also ordered the closure of Old Man Lake Provincial Park to all recreational uses.
Bill Miller, chair of the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako, which issues the orders, has seen wildfires prompt evacuations before. The last serious wildfire, in 2010, saw flames eat up stands dry pine trees and creep close enough to homes to cause concern. This year, conditions are drier still, and the fire has so far been fierce and unpredictable.
"It's a little more of a volatile situation," Miller told CBC News Friday morning.
Reception centres for displaced residents have been set up at the College of New Caledonia in Burns Lake and at Houston's municipal office.
The Northwest Fire Centre has barred use of recreational areas around the fire — making McKilligan, Swan Lake, Heading Creek, Poisent Creek and Gilmore Lake forest service roads and portions of the Thompson Creek Forest Service Road north of Maxan Lake off-limits to anyone without written authorization.
Chelaslie Fire grows
Meanwhile the Chelaslie River wildfire, burning near Entiako Provincial Park since early July, has grown to an estimated 107,651 hectares. Near the end of July, officials closed the park and issued an evacuation order.