Drones, water access banned in Williams Lake as wildfire burns

Crews have made progress against a fast-moving wildfire in the city of Williams Lake, in B.C.'s central Interior, though several homes and businesses have been told to be ready to leave at a moment's notice.

In a video update posted to the city's Facebook pageshortly before 5 p.m. PT Monday, the city's emergency operations directorRob Warnocksaid an influx of reources from neighbouring communities had helped local crews gain "significant ground" on the blaze, which broke out Sunday evening.

But, he said, evacuation alerts and road closures remain in effect as officials plan to continue the fight into the night and Tuesday morning.

The city has declared a local state of emergency and has banned all public access to Williams Lake, the body of water from which the city gets its name, in order to ensure access for emergency crews.

The city has also issued a notice urging residents to conserve water to ensure an adequate supply for emergency crews and asked residents and visitors to stay away from the wildfire zone.

"My request to the community is stay calm, stay off the road. There's a lot of water-tanker travelling, lots of big machine travelling to move things around, and don't come in the way," Mayor Surinderpal Rathor told CBC News earlier.

WATCH | Crews fight wildfire in Williams Lakeneighbourhood:

Water bombers swoop low over Williams Lake, B.C., to fight wildfire in city

12 days ago

Duration 1:22

Crews moved fast to try to protect businesses and homes from a wildfire that broke out in Williams Lake, B.C., on July 21.

Rathorsaid new flare-ups were keeping crews busy and confirmed that the fire had consumed part of one unoccupied structure.

Williams Lake is home to approximately 10,000 residents and serves a wider area of approximately 20,000 as the main hub city in the Cariboo region.

In 2017, the entire community was ordered evacuated for weeks on end due to a record-breaking wildfire season.

But even then, Rathor who has lived in Williams Lake for five decades said he has never seen fire growth as quick as what he witnessed Sunday.

"Within minutes the fire was so grand you wouldn't believe it," Rathorsaid. The flames were further fuelled by "wind so heavy, I've never seen that kind of wind before."

He reiterated a message that has been being shared by wildfire officials in B.C. for months: prolonged hot, dry conditions with little rain and extremely warm temperatures have made much of the province vulnerable to flames.

That situationhas devolved in recent days,withmore than 100 new wildfires sparked in the past week and hundreds of residents facing evacuation orders and alerts.

Downed tree sparked fire

According to Warnock, the fire in Williams Lake was sparkedat about 5:45 p.m. PT Sunday when a tree fell on power lines in the river valley on the city's west side.

It then began growing toward the Mackenzie Avenue area, threatening several homes and businesses, prompting RCMP to conduct several "tactical evacuations."

Late Sunday, residents were allowed to return home and Mackenzie Avenue was reopened to traffic, though several properties without power closed Monday.

Rathor said he is grateful to everyone responding to the fire, and "I pray to almighty God that I don't have to sign any evacuation order."