B.C. fire crews attack mountain blaze

Fire crews continued to attack a major wildfire in the central B.C. Interior on Sunday, and while officials reported some progress, all evacuation orders and alerts remained in effect in the Cariboo region.

The Mount McLean fire near the town of Lillooet remained at 50 per cent contained, the B.C. Forest Service reported.

Firefighters were mopping up along the east perimeter of the blaze, with helicopters dousing hot spots. Crews were set to rappel downsteep slopes on the west flank and build helipads to allow access for ground crews toattack the fire directly, the service said in arelease.

Ten pieces of heavy equipment, 67 firefighters, 80 support personnel and 11 helicopters were deployedSunday,while 12structural protection units weremaintained at Seton Portage, west of Lillooet.

In the Okanagan, an estimated 2,150 people remained on evacuation order and2,500 residents were on evacuation alert and had tobe prepared to leave their homes on short notice as firefighters continued to battle the Terrace Mountain fire.

Area residents will clearly see large columns of smoke as crews attack the north flank of the fire with a controlledburn, the forest service said.

Elsewhere, the fire risk to populated areas of the Bella Coola Valleydiminished,but the closures affecting Highway 20 at Heckman Pass continued to cause challenges for travellers and supply vehicles, officials said.Any potential highway openings are subject to fire behaviour and may be cancelled at any time.

The situation is expected to improveMonday, whenrain is expected in the area.

Inthe central Interior, the Kamloops Fire Centre has prohibitedthe use of portable propane campfires. A ban on open fires remains in effect.