Gusty winds fan concerns about fire turning on B.C.’s Fort Nelson

Gusty winds could fan “aggressive fire behaviour” in the north, where out-of-control blazes have forced several thousand people to flee their homes, B.C. Wildfire Service said.

The Northern Rockies Regional Municipality said a public information meeting for evacuees from the Fort Nelson area is set to take place in Fort St. John Wednesday. “I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again, when it’s 3,500 people drop into a community of 25,000 it’s a shock, it’s a shock to them. So, please be patient,” he said.

She said many evacuees have multiple pets, so they’ve allowed animals in rooms where they usually wouldn’t.Andy Larocque says he and his family were in Fort St. John for a medical appointment last Friday, and they had started heading home to Fort Nelson when they got word of the evacuation order for the community of about 4,700.

Eileen McPhee was at a funeral north of Fort Nelson when the town was ordered evacuated last Friday, and she says she felt “helpless” when she heard about the wildfire pushing toward her community. The wildfire service said stronger winds will result in more aggressive fire behaviour and increased rates of spread, posing challenges for suppression efforts.

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