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UPDATE: Williams Lake, 150 Mile House under evacuation

Cariboo Regional District has issued the order due to strong winds creating violent fire activity.
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UPDATE: An evacuation order has been issued for the area surrounding, and including 150 Mile House.

The areas under evacuation include: the Fraser River east to the Beaver Lake Road, north to the Quesnel River, east along the Quesnel River to approximately Hydraulic, south east to Antoine Lake, south to MacIntosh Lake, east to the existing order at 150 Mile.

WATCH: Williams Lake is under an evacuation. DETAILS: http://www.wltribune.com/news/breaking-williams-lake-is-under-evacuation/

Posted by Williams Lake Tribune on Saturday, July 15, 2017

Williams Lake is also under evacuation.

Evacuees are being directed follow Highway 97 south to Highway 24 (South of 100 Mile House) and follow Highway 24 to Little Fort. There, RCMP will direct evacuees to their next destination based on: how many children and pets are travelling, the amount of gas, whether the evacuees will be staying with family and friends, or will need group lodging.

The evacuation comes after the fire at White Lake jumped the Fraser River at the Rudy Johnson Bridge Saturday afternoon.

That’s according to the city’s Mayor Walt Cobb, who said the winds have proved challenging for fire crews.

“At this stage in the game because of the direction it took and the wind, [the fire] not coming up the valley as we suspected but it could,” Cobb said.

“If we don’t go now, we may not be able to get out.”

RELATED: B.C. wildfires could become ‘violently aggresive’ due to wind

Fire crews are battling three fires around Williams Lake, while up against increasing winds – some reaching up to 70 kilometres per hour – as well as hot and dry temperatures.

LIVE: Mayor Walt Cobb on the evacuation DETAILS: http://www.wltribune.com/news/breaking-williams-lake-is-under-evacuation/

Posted by Williams Lake Tribune on Saturday, July 15, 2017

More to come.



About the Author: Ashley Wadhwani-Smith

I began my journalistic journey at Black Press Media as a community reporter in my hometown of Maple Ridge, B.C.
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