Image Credit: B.C. Wildfire Service

By James Peters

UPDATE

UPDATE: Sicamous wildfire now 800 hectares, new community added to alert

Jul 21, 2021 | 8:00 PM

Another community has been added to the evacuation alert for the wildfire south of Sicamous

The Columbia Shuswap Regional District has issued an evacuation alert for Swansea Point due to the Two Mile Road Fire which is burning near the boundary of the District of Sicamous and the CSRD’s Electoral Area E.

The alert includes both sides of Highway 97A north to the District of Sicamous municipal boundary.

An evacuation alert is a warning about a potential threat to life and/or property. It is intended to give you time to be ready for a possible evacuation. Residents will be given as much advance notice as possible prior to evacuation, however, you may receive limited notice due to changing conditions.

Click here to view the evacuation alert and map.

Possible firearm involved

One person apprehended in connection with suspicious activity in Coldstream

18h ago

Fatal Collision, Highway Closed

One person dead in crash near Revelstoke

19h ago

Salaries

Vernon Council to discuss lesser pay increases

21h ago

The fire is now estimated at 800 hectares, double what it was earlier today.

“This wildfire is classified as Out of Control. The updated size is due to better mapping as well as growth on the fire. Growth today was in a direction away from Sicamous and crews are making good progress holding the guard at the lower end of the fire despite gusts up to 35 kilometers per hour,” the BC Wildfire Service said on its website.

==

UPDATE 2:00 p.m.

The Two Mile Road fire south of Sicamous is up to 400 hectares, but at last report, was burning upslope and away from the community.

About 1,000 residents remain on evacuation order.

Fire south of Sicamous (Photo credit: Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue/Facebook)

==

UPDATE 11:00 a.m.

The BC Wildfire Service says there was growth overnight on the fire that is closing in on the Shuswap community of Sicamous.

The Two Mile Road Fire has doubled in size since Tuesday, now estimated at 130 hectares.

“The BC Wildfire Service is assisting the Sicamous Fire Department and the Swansea Fire Department with 33 personnel and 10 pieces of heavy equipment. Crews will continue to build guard around the fire today,” an update from the BCWS stated.

Most homes in that area are under either an evacuation order or alert, and Highway 97A remains closed between Enderby and Sicamous with a detour on Highway 97B to Salmon Arm.

More than 1,000 residents have been evacuated by the blaze which started from a vehicle fire on Tuesday.

The District of Sicamous had some good news this morning saying the fire was moving northeast and upslope, away from the community.

Latest update from @shuswapemerg: @BCGovFireInfo is optimistic w/ current conditions of #TwoMileCreek wildfire & winds are favourable. Fire is moving NE & upslope, away from #Sicamous. Firefighters are actively fighting the fire. No expected changes to Alert/Order for 24 hr.

— District of Sicamous (@DOSicamous) July 21, 2021

==

UPDATE 9:00 a.m. July 21

We are still waiting for an update from the BC Wildfire Service on the Two Mile Road Fire which at last report was burning two kilometres south of Sicamous.

The fire was estimated to be 60 hectares at last report and about half of the community of 2,500 people was under an evacuation order while the rest was under an evacuation alert.

Highway 97A remains closed between Enderby and Sicamous with a detour on Highway 97B to Salmon Arm.

Click here for the latest of the evacuation orders and alerts from the Columbia Shuswap Regional District.

==

UPDATE: 8:05 p.m.

Interior Health is proactively relocating care home residents within the wildfire evacuation alert zone in Sicamous.

Community health clients and residents from Eagle Valley Manor are being evacuated with support staff to neighboring communities.

Anyone wishing to confirm their loved one’s evacuated location can call: 1.877.442.2001.

The Sicamous Health Centre is evacuated and will remain closed until further notice.

Due to the evacuation alerts in place throughout the region, the COVID-19 immunization clinic in Sicamous is cancelled and anyone with appointments will be contacted directly to reschedule. Drop-in options in nearby immunization clinics are located here.

Those requiring support are encouraged to call the BC Crisis Line at 310-6789.

Highway 97A is still closed according to Drive BC.

==

UPDATE 3:00 p.m.

A fire south of Sicamous has now led to an evacuation order being issued by the Columbia Shuswap Regional District.

A wildfire is burning near Two Mile Creek near the boundary of the District of Sicamous and Electoral Area E.

The Evacuation Order is in effect for the following area:

All residences within the District of Sicamous that lie to the south of Sherlock Rd, south-east of Cook Ave, Gillis Ave, Larch Ave, east of the Sicamous Narrows and Mara Lake, and north of Sicamous Creek.

(Image credit: CSRD)

==

Fire ignites south of Sicamous, closes Highway 97A, alert issued July 20,2021

An evacuation alert has been issued by the Columbia Shuswap Regional District due to the danger to people and property from a wildfire burning in the area of Two Mile Creek on the boundary of the District of Sicamous and Electoral Area E.

The alert is in effect for the following areas:

The area of the District of Sicamous south of the Trans-Canada Highway, up to the eastern and western boundaries of the District of Sicamous.

Below is a map of the Evacuation Alert Area.

(Submitted image/CSRD)

==

SICAMOUS, B.C. — A new wildfire has ignited Tuesday (July 20) in the area of Swansea Point south of Sicamous, along Highway 97A.

The fire is south of Two Mile Creek, and is believed to have been caused by an automobile collision.

B.C. Wildfire Service personnel are responding to that fire, and Highway 97A is closed in the area.

New fire just outside of Sicamous pic.twitter.com/lO1rBgL4YE

— Jenn Stewart🇨🇦 (@jenndbic) July 20, 2021

According to a social media post, the initial size estimate is ten hectares.

The Columbia-Shuswap Regional District says a tactical evacuation has begun for homes near the fire. The Sicamous Landfill, which is also in the area, is closed.