UPDATE – As of 1:30 Sunday Highway 52 has been closed in both directions due to the forest fire. The Highway 52 E. is closed between Kelly Lake Rd and Stone Creek Rd for 31.5 km (107 to 76 km east of Tumbler Ridge).
Original Story
KELLY LAKE, B.C. – The Peace River Regional District has issued an evacuation alert for the community of Kelly Lake.
The alert has been issued due to the Bearhole Lake Wildfire.
As of Saturday evening the fire had grown to 2,500 hectares in size and was displaying aggressive fire behaviour.
Highway 52 is heavily impacted by smoke ahead of the advancing fire. The BC Wildfire Service has put flag personnel in place on the highway to support public safety. Please drive to conditions and slow down near flag personnel. Highway closure may occur with short notice.
Please check DriveBC for updates on the highway status. The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure will be supporting with potential closures as needed.
The existing Area Restriction Order will be expanded further to the north and east, along the east side of the highway and just west of Kelly Lake. This expanded area will be implemented in the morning of September 4.
According to the B.C. Wildfire Service fire growth was primarily driven by wind. Fire growth is expected to continue due to windy and dry conditions in the current weather forecast.
Evacuation Alert Details
An evacuation alert has been issued for the Bearhole Lake Wildfire (G72178), for the Community of Kelly Lake, described as:
- 4 km West of the Alberta border
- 5 km North of Kelly Lake until 5km South of Kelly Lake
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO:
- Locate all family members and designate a meeting area outside the evacuation area, should an Evacuation Order be called while separated.
- Pack essential items such as government-issued ID, medications, eyeglasses, valuable papers (e.g. insurance, credit, and mortgage information), immediate care needs for dependents, cell phone & charger and, if time and space permits, keepsakes for quick departure.
- Prepare to move disabled persons, children and/or neighbours, if assistance is needed.
- Prepare to take pets with you including pet care items (leash, carrier, food) and move livestock to a safe area (if possible).
- Arrange transportation for all your household members. Fill the gas tanks of personal vehicles.
- Those with transportation, mobility, health, or other special needs can call 1-800-670-7773 for assistance.
- Arrange accommodation for all members of the residence, if possible.
- Wait for an Evacuation Order to be issued before evacuating. Monitor prrd.bc.ca and BC Wildfire Services for information on evacuation orders and location of Reception Centres and hours of operation.
- Sign up for the North East BC Emergency and Public Alerts to be notified of any emergencies near you, including Evacuation Alerts & Orders
For more information on wildfires of note, visit the BC Wildfire Website
View the full Evacuation Alert here: Evacuation ALERT #1 September 4
