Wildfire starts near Coal River and Highway 97; Evacuation Alert issued

Fort Nelson, BC – A forest fire broke out near the Coal River, BC and Highway 97, and the North Rocky Municipality issued a evacuation warning.

The fire was located about two miles[5 km]southwest of Coal, and only one mile[1 km]south of Highway 97.

Because the fire is so close to Highway 97, travelers should check out Drivebc.ca for updates north of the highway leading to Yukon. Starting Thursday night, the highway will remain open in both directions.

The fire is 30 acres[30 ha]and is believed to have been caused by lightning. The fire is now out of control.

BC Wildfire Service has local staff with aviation support. North Rockies Municipality issues evacuation warning to:

• The Alaska Highway is located along the Smith River River Forest Service Road, south of Fireworks, the 10 km wide strip is on the south side of the Lizard River and 8 km north of Highway.

The wildfire is located near the Coal River Lodge, 3.3 miles[3.3 km]southeast. See the Release Notice (PDF) for more information, including a map of the affected area.

Evacuation Notice means that residents and businesses in the area must be prepared to leave the area with a small notice if the eviction order is changed.

The Wildlife Service said on its Twitter account that it could be accessing infrastructure and that it could be a threat to life and security.