Wildfire near Lytton grows; evacuation orders, alerts issued

The fast-moving Nohomin Creek wildfire burning west of Lytton has grown to 1,500 hectares as of Friday at 4 p.m.

It was first reported around 1 p.m. Thursday, with the BC Wildfire Service classifying the blaze as “Out of Control.”

The fire has already forced dozens of people from their homes, with flames located about 1.7 kilometres northwest of Lytton, west of the Fraser River.

So far the Lytton First Nation says six residential structures have been lost, although the number could be upward of nine.

Its proximity to the village, which was virtually destroyed by another wildfire last year, is hitting home for many of the crew members who battled the Lytton Creek Fire in June and July 2021.

“That is always in the back of our minds as being an event that happened last year around the similar timing as well,” explained fire information officer Taylor Macdonald.

Related articles: 

• Blaze growing near fire-ravaged Lytton, says BC Wildfire Service

• One year after Lytton disaster, B.C. residents are ‘very concerned about wildfires’, poll says

• B.C. wildfire risk expected to ramp up this month

However, she stresses firefighters are focused on the task at hand.

“Something that we keep in the back of our minds is we’re going through this incident right now, that we’re looking forward to working on this incident and being able to focus our efforts on this incident here,” Macdonald told CityNews Friday.

Macdonald says teams will adjust their efforts as required, as temperatures remain high in the region.

“We’ll see how that plays out later on today,” she said, noting a weather briefing would take place at 9 a.m. Friday.

Crews remained on site overnight and about 40 more firefighters are on their way up to the area to help battle the fire, which has triggered a number of evacuations from the Lytton First Nation as well as the Thompson Nicola Regional District.

It’s still unclear what sparked the Nohomin Creek wildfire. The BC Wildfire Service notes terrain and smoke are creating challenges for crews.

John Haugen, deputy chief of the Lytton First Nation, said conditions are challenging, a day after the blaze broke out.

“It’s been really daunting. Sometimes there’s no power here and we’re running out of water on the east side of the Fraser River,” he said during a briefing.

A tiny ferry that crosses the river is out of service due to high water levels, making it difficult to move resources toward the fire on the west side, he added.

The Lytton First Nation and Thompson-Nicola Regional District have issued evacuation orders and alerts for dozens of properties on the west side of the river. Despite some initial communication challenges unrelated to the fire, cell service has been restored and Haugen said he believes all residents are aware of the situation.

The number of destroyed buildings could be upward of nine, and officials are trying to contact affected residents, he added.

“It’s devastating, so we have to be mindful of how we approach them and confirm those losses.”

Forests Minister Katrine Conroy said the fire is not currently posing a threat to the village of Lytton. Crews successfully contained flames that jumped the Fraser River Thursday night, she said

The BC Wildfire Service is urging people to be aware of the risks of wildfire as the summer months continue.

“It’s been a relatively quiet fire season so far in the province of B.C., especially in the southern half here. As we start to continue into those really hot and dry months — July and August — we’re just reminding people to be prepared,” Macdonald said.

With files from the Canadian Press