Evacuation Alert Sent to B.C. City of 21,000 Residents Amid Wildfires

Residents of an entire city in British Columbia (B.C.) have been put on evacuation alert due to the wildfire. Around 21,000 people have been notified about the Stoddart Creek Wildfire and advised to prepare for a possible evacuation. The weather forecast predicts that the wildfire could spread towards the city.

The entire city of Fort St. John which is home to around 21,000 people have been placed on evacuation alert. The Stoddart Creek Wildfire is the cause of concern and danger for the residents the BC Wildfire Service has explained that the weather conditions could cause the fire to spread to Fort St. John from Fort Nelson.

The alert states, “An evacuation alert has been issued to prepare you to evacuate your premises or property should it be found necessary. Residents will be given as much advance notice as possible prior to evacuation; however, you may receive limited notice due to changing conditions.”

The weather is said to bring strong winds that could produce erratic, unpredictable fire behavior and increased smoke.

Evacuation orders were also issued for Blueberry River First Nations and Doig River First Nation, along with a number of small communities that have also been ordered to evacuate. Last Sunday, Peace River Regional District declared a state of local emergency and issued evacuation orders for dozens of properties in the vicinity.

Vineet Washington