More than 100 properties ordered to evacuate as wildfire grows near Big Bar Lake, B.C.

More than 100 properties ordered to evacuate as wildfire grows near Big Bar Lake, B.C.

Order covers more than 100 addressed properties and a busy provincial park campground

An out of control wildfire in B.C.'s southern Cariboo has prompted an evacuation order for more than 100 properties around the Big Bar Lake area.

The Fiftynine Creek wildfire was discovered Friday southeast of the lake and has grown to an estimated size of about 4,000 hectares (40 square kilometres), as of 8 p.m. PT Friday. The B.C. Wildfire Service believes the fire was caused by a lightning strike.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District issued the order Friday evening for 131 properties around Big Bar Lake and Meadow Lake, which also covers Big Bar Lake Provincial Park, a popular camping destination that has nearly 50 campsites.

The regional district told CBC News it cannot yet confirm how many people have been asked to leave but says hundreds are likely affected.

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People are being directed to leave by going east along Big Bar Road toward Highway 97, provided the route remains safe.

“If the fire has reached Big Bar Lake Road and it is unsafe to travel east, evacuees can travel west on Big Bar Road and travel out of the area through either Meadow Lake to the north or Jesmond to the south,” the district says.

Those evacuating from the Meadow Lake area are being directed east along Meadow Lake Road toward Highway 97.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District has issued an Evacuation Alert for 63 properties from Poison Lake Road to #BCHwy97 due to the Fiftynine Creek #BCWildfire (C40897). Anyone in the area must be ready to leave on short notice. More info: https://t.co/CwfoaaMg1l @TNRD pic.twitter.com/tnzO5H8T4z

The regional district has also placed another 63 properties surrounding the evacuation zone under an alert.

Northeast of the Fiftynine Creek fire, the district has also placed 12 properties near South Green Lake under evacuation alert because of the out-of-control Tin Cup Creek wildfire.

The orders come as the number of active wildfire in the province has surged since Thursday following an increase in lightning strikes.

The wildfire service said more than 4,000 lightning strikes had been recorded across the province by 4 p.m. Friday. It warned that additional fires may be detected over the coming days as the storm system moves east and hot, dry conditions return.