Kimberley, B.C. on evacuation alert as wildfire grows to 567 hectares

The entire city of Kimberley, British Columbia, is on evacuation alert as the Matthew Creek wildfire rages nearby. The out-of-control blaze, ignited by lightning on Saturday, has expanded to approximately 567 hectares. Its location on a steep slope, combined with high winds, is fueling its rapid growth.

Residents are preparing for a potential evacuation, with some expressing concern over falling ash. Carolyn Martens told Global News, "We had ash falling on us today and that kind of worried me at the time because that’s usually the number one sign you gotta get ready." She added, "We had a house fire before and we lost everything before, so we wanna be prepared and we’d rather be prepared than not at all."

Due to the fire's behavior and the challenging terrain, direct attacks by firefighters are deemed too dangerous. The BC Wildfire Service is deploying ground crews to establish control lines, while helicopters are being used to slow the fire's advance on its east flank. The situation remains tense as the community braces for further developments.

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We had ash falling on us today and that kind of worried me at the time because that’s usually the number one sign you gotta get ready. We had a house fire before and we lost everything before, so we wanna be prepared and we’d rather be prepared than not at all.