Buildings destroyed as raging wildfire complex in B.C. soars in size

A raging wildfire complex near Boston Bar, B.C., has destroyed a number of buildings and has grown significantly to almost 200 square kilometres.

Video posted online by the Shayne Findlay, the operator of Blue Lake Resort, show a number of structures left in charred ruins, although the main lodge appears to have survived.

Overnight, the Fraser Valley Regional District upgraded an evacuation alert to an order to leave for about 40 properties.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District meanwhile issued an evacuation alert for about 61 properties, telling residents to be ready to leave on short notice, in the area near Prospect Creek.

Hundreds of properties in the Fraser Canyon area were already under evacuation orders and alerts as the Brunswick Creek and Ainslie Creek wildfires burn out of control on both sides of the Fraser River.

The BC Wildfire Service says the Ainslie Creek blaze has grown to 170 square kilometres in size, while the Brunswick Creek fire is measured at 26 square kilometres.

The combined size of the two fires, now known as the Brunswick Complex, is up 72 per cent from the 114 square kilometres reported Wednesday.

Highway 1 through the region remains closed while crews say strong winds have driven the fire’s growths in the last two days, with more gusts are in the forecast for the next several days “with no appreciable rain in the short-term forecast.”