Keremeos, B.C. (Richa Walia): A rapidly growing wildfire near Cathedral Provincial Park in southwestern British Columbia has prompted evacuation alerts as officials race to contain multiple out-of-control blazes in the region.
The Young Creek wildfire, discovered Friday southwest of Keremeos, has expanded to approximately 50 hectares and remains uncontained, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service. The agency reports that 34 firefighters and two helicopters are currently on-site battling the flames.
The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) issued an evacuation alert late Friday for areas surrounding Cathedral Provincial Park, including two nearby campgrounds. Authorities believe the fire was human-caused.
In a separate incident, officials have also issued both evacuation orders and alerts for areas affected by the August Lake wildfire, which has grown to 14 hectares and is also burning out of control.
The evacuation order covers the region south of Highway 3, extending west to Amber Hill Road and Darcy Mountain Road near the Sewer Treatment Plant, and east to Willies Ranch Road.
The evacuation alert applies to properties north of Highway 3 along the Similkameen River, south of Princeton Cemetery Road, east of Mountain Road, and west of Willies Ranch Road.
Officials are warning that hot and dry weather conditions are expected to intensify fire activity in the coming days. Temperatures in parts of the southern Interior are forecast to climb into the mid-30s Celsius, which may accelerate wildfire spread.
Heading into Sunday and early next week, there is a widespread risk of thunderstorms across northeastern, central, and southern Interior B.C., further increasing the chances of new wildfire ignitions due to lightning strikes.
According to the B.C. Wildfire Service, approximately 80% of current wildfires in the province have been caused by lightning, while 16% are attributed to human activity. The remainder remain under investigation.
Authorities continue to urge residents in affected areas to stay alert, follow evacuation instructions, and prepare emergency kits as fire conditions remain volatile across British Columbia.
