A pair of out-of-control wildfires are threatening two different highways in the Interior region of B.C.
A new wildfire burning near Peachland in the Okanagan has closed Highway 97 in both directions, DriveBC explains.
Crews are on scene turning vehicles around. DriveBC says the next update on the status of the highway will come at 4 p.m. Wednesday afternoon.
The fire is currently 1.3 hectares in size, the BC Wildfire Service says.
“Two initial attack crews, two response officers, a helicopter, a water tender and both the Peachland and Summerland Fire Departments are responding. The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, and the RCMP are also responding,” the BCWS shared in an update online.
Meanwhile, an out-of-control wildfire near Boston Bar off Highway 1 has grown to three hectares in size.
The fire is burning near the CN Rail tracks in the area. The BC Wildfire Service says smoke is highly visible from Highway 1 and the surrounding areas, but the highway remains open for now.
It’s unclear how the fire broke out, but the wildfire service lists it as being “human-caused”