Wildfires force new evacuation order for Boston Bar area

A new evacuation order has been issued for the Boston Bar, B.C., area due to two out-of-control wildfires in the area.

The Brunswick Creek and Ainslie Creek wildfires are both thousands of hectares in size and have previously triggered other evacuation orders in the area.

Seven structures in the Ainslie Creek area have been affected in the past 24 hours, Patricia Ross, chair of the Fraser Valley Regional District, told Global News.

“In the Ainslie Creek area, we do know there are now, at least that we know of, seven properties that have been affected,” she said.

“Four of those are either homes or seasonal cabins. Another three are outside structures or commercial.”

The new order affects properties in Electoral Area A that were previously on evacuation alert.

Affected residents are advised to close all windows and doors, gather family and anyone needing transportation, take critical items and evacuate south via Highway 1 or follow the directions of first responders.

“So there were 190 remaining properties there that were only on alert,” Ross added.

“So that makes it now in total, all of those areas, 450 properties that are under evacuation order now. But keep in mind, not all of those have structures on them or people living on them.”

Canada Post has also issued a notice that the post office in Boston Bar is closed and all incoming mail is being held off-site in a secure location.