Winds fan northeast B.C. wildfire, but aid crews working to save Tumbler Ridge

Vancouver — Gusty winds have kicked up the activity of a huge wildfire in northeastern British Columbia, forcing evacuation orders for another 14 remote properties outside Fort Nelson.

The Peace River Regional District issued two evacuation orders Sunday as winds fanned the 4,049-square-kilometre Donnie Creek blaze.

The B.C. Wildfire Service says more than 140 people are working to contain the lightning-caused wildfire that was sparked May 12 and is now the second-largest ever recorded in the province.

It says winds responsible for the weekend trouble around Fort Nelson aided firefighters on a separate blaze south of Fort St. John that prompted Thursday’s evacuation of the entire northeastern community of Tumbler Ridge.

Gusts there have kept the nearly 200-square-kilometre West Kiskatinaw River fire away from the threatened community of 2,400, although the evacuation order remains posted.

Environment Canada is calling for showers in the northeast on Tuesday, with between five and 10 millimetres of rain in the Fort St. John area, although the weather office says there is also a risk of gusty winds and lightning.

In all, five wildfires of note are among the more than 80 fires burning around B.C.

That includes the stubborn 2.5-square-kilometre fire in steep terrain above Highway 4 on Vancouver Island, forcing the continued closure of the main route to Port Alberni, Tofino and Ucluelet.

A convoy of supply trucks carried gas, food and other items into the region Sunday over the rough, four-hour detour that has provided essential access to the Island’s west coast since the human-caused wildfire began raining debris onto Highway 4 last week.