Wildfire in western Canada forces evacuations, threatens hundreds of homes in British Columbia
By APWednesday, July 28, 2010
Wildfire blazes in western Canada
KAMLOOPS, British Columbia — A fast-moving wildfire in the western Canadian interior has sparked a new evacuation order, the second such order in the last two days.
The evacuation order covers 60 seasonal properties north of Kamloops, which is 220 miles (350 kilometers) northeast of Vancouver.
It was issued a few hours after residents who were forced out of their homes earlier this week by another wildfire had been allowed to return.
Michaela Swan, an information officer at the Kamloops Fire Centre, said Thursday the blaze was discovered Wednesday afternoon and within a few hours it ballooned from 49 acres (20 hectares) to 370 acres (150 hectares).
Liz Cornwell, a regional district spokeswoman, says about 125 residents were affected by the evacuation order.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District has declared a local state of emergency.
