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The Brunswick Creek Wildfire burns on the slopes above the community of North Bend close to Boston Bar, British Columbia, on Tuesday.James MacDonald/The Globe and Mail
Shayne Findlay, the owner of Blue Lake Resort, near Boston Bar, B.C., says “the wind was in charge” as a wildfire roared through the property on Tuesday night, destroying several buildings, including the home of the resort manager.
“This fire came through, it was dropping pieces the size of your fist of burning bark, burning wood,” he said on Thursday, describing a scene that unfolded on a resort webcam.
Findlay said structure protection personnel had earlier set up sprinklers throughout the resort, helping to spare some buildings, including the main lodge.
The fire crews did everything they could, he said. But as the flames bore down, embers were flying up and down and sideways.
“This fire was not stopping,” Findlay said. “I’ve seen it on the camera. When you’re in the middle of it, it’s like a Biblical event.”
Findlay’s account came as the fire now known as the Brunswick Complex soared in size to almost 200 square kilometres and triggered a fresh round of evacuation orders and alerts that cover hundreds of properties in the area, about 200 kilometres northeast of Vancouver.
Second out-of-control wildfire triggers evacuations in Boston Bar, B.C.
Findlay has posted video online showing structures left in charred ruins. He turns his lens to a blackened tree with a split in its trunk, flames still burning inside. “Let’s not stand next to that one,” he said in the video posted Wednesday.
The fire arrived at the resort two days after Findlay had told about 250 guests on Sunday that they should leave within a few hours.
Now, in the aftermath, with smoke still rising from the burned trees and buildings, Findlay said he feels “some disbelief.”
But they will find a way forward, he said. “The lake is still there, everyone’s alive, and we’re willing.”
Julia Caranci, a fire information officer with the B.C. Wildfire Service, said strong winds had set off “explosive” growth as fire burns on both sides of the Fraser River.
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.
Numerous properties in the Fraser Canyon area were already under evacuation orders and alerts as the flames burned out of control.
Tyrell Williams, who is co-ordinating the Shxwhay Village evacuation reception centre in Chilliwack, B.C., said Thursday that she felt “heavy-hearted” for Indigenous elders forced to flee the fire.
But the centre was not just for Indigenous evacuees, and anyone affected by the fires was welcome.
She said about 14 families checked in on Wednesday, and a dinner for evacuees was being held Thursday “to uplift their spirits.”
“We really believe in sitting down and sharing a meal. Slowing the day down and dedicating our time to each other,” she said.
The community of Boston Bar, population 166, is under an evacuation alert, but residents have been waiting to see if they too must flee.
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Boston Bar resident Amanda Hagen picked up the phone at the Fraser Canyon Market on Thursday and said flames had been advancing on either side of the river.
To the north, Hagen said she could see the “glow” of the Ainslie Creek fire at night, while the Brunswick Creek fire was moving downslope towards the river.
“It looks from here like there are parts of it that almost have reached the river.”
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The Ainslie Creek wildfire north of Boston Bar, B.C., is shown in this handout photo provided by BC Wildfire Service, on Tuesday.HO/The Canadian Press
The flames on the west side of the river had advanced “a fair distance” since Wednesday, said Hagen, whose home remained under evacuation alert, though she was monitoring in case of an upgraded order.
There were “lots” of firefighting personnel in the community, she said.
The Ainslie Creek blaze has grown to an estimated 170 square kilometres in size, while the Brunswick Creek fire is measured at 26 square kilometres. The combined size of the fires, now known as the Brunswick Complex, was up 72 per cent from the 114 square kilometres reported Wednesday.
Highway 1 remained closed just before Boston Bar.
Caranci said a combination of sustained winds, dry conditions, receptive fuels, and extremely steep terrain had combined to worsen the fires for the last few days.
“So, what this has done is elevate fire behaviour and activity, especially in those later afternoon periods, when our temperatures are the highest and our relative humidity is the lowest,” she said.
“When we have winds aligned with these very, very steep slopes, then we can see that type of explosive growth that we’ve seen, say, a couple of days ago on the Ansley Creek fire,” Carnanci said.
More challenging days are ahead on the fire fight, with no rain in the forecast.
Caranci said the response to the fire has shifted to a 24-hour-operation and the fight is well-resourced.
“So, needless to say, this is obviously a very critical time, and we are here, and these are top priority fires for us.”
More than 200 firefighters are assigned to the Brunswick Complex, with support from 14 helicopters and about 60 structural protection personnel.