More than 320 wildfires burn in B.C. as Barkerville, Wells ordered to evacuate

More than 20 wildfires were sparked on Sunday alone, the BC Wildfire Service dashboard says, as two dozen one-day heat records fell and multiple towns in the Cariboo were ordered to evacuate.

Around 5:30 p.m. Sunday, the Cariboo Regional District and the District of Wells ordered Wells, Barkerville, Bowron Lakes, and the west side of Bowron Lakes chain to evacuate due to a nearby wildfire.

“Wildfires in the area pose a threat to human life,” the Emergency Info BC said in a statement.

All residents are being urged to leave the area and head west along Highway 26 to Quesnel.

“If you are being evacuated from your primary residence, an evacuee reception center is open at the Quesnel and District Arts and Recreation Centre located at 500 North Star Road. Visitors to the area are advised to leave the area,” the province said.

According to the wildfire service, the Antler Creek Wildfire is approximately 3,162 hectares. The blaze was first discovered on July 20 after a lightning storm hit the region. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE!

The BCWS says ground crews, air crews, heavy equipment, and structure protection are all on-site helping to mitigate any possible damage from the wildfire.

The evacuation order comes after Environment and Climate Change Canada reported Lytton to be the hot spot in all of Canada again on July 21, recording a top temperature of 42.2 degrees.

It just overtook the old July 21 record of 42.1 which was set in 2006. Records have been kept in the Lytton area since 1921.

Ashcroft also saw a new record, seeing a top temperature of 37.8, passing the old record of 37 set in 1994.

Highway 1 between Ashcroft and Spences Bridge is closed due to the Shetland Creek Wildfire. As of Sunday night, the Shetland Creek fire was an estimated 14,830.9 hectares.

“This wildfire is highly visible or poses a potential threat to public safety,” the BC Wildfire Service explains on its website. The out-of-control fire is believed to have been caused by lightning.

Prolonged, tinder-dry conditions have exacerbated the wildfire risk, the BC Wildfire Service says. On Saturday, the BCWS shared that there had been 1,277 lightning strikes in just four days.

On Sunday, a wildfire was sparked in the Cariboo city of Williams Lake. Evacuation alerts were in place overnight, with the city declaring a state of local emergency Sunday evening. By Monday morning, the BC Wildfire Service says 326 fires are burning across the province.

North of Williams Lake, Prince George, and Quesnel also broke their one-day temperature records on Sunday, recording top temperatures of 38.3 and 38.1 respectively.

Meanwhile, Blue River, Clearwater, Cranbrook, Dawson Creek, Dease Lake, Golden Area, Kamloops, Lillooet, MacKenzie, Merritt, Nelson, Penticton, Princeton, Smithers, Sparwood, Summerland, Trail, Vernon, and Yoho National Park all saw record-setting heat on Sunday.