Wildfire in Peace River, B.C., quadruples in size, roughly 70 people evacuated

Andrew Kurjata · CBC News

· Posted: May 30, 2025 2:25 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 hours ago

A wildfire successful northeastern British Columbia that prompted an evacuation bid for astir 70 radical connected Thursday has quadrupled successful size.

Among them is Shelley Calliou, the taste coordinator for the Kelly Lake Cree Nation, the main community covered by the order.

"It truly is troubling," she said, noting it was the 3rd twelvemonth successful a enactment her assemblage had been nether an evacuation bid oregon alert.

Aside from the radical determination was interest astir the surrounding environment, including a herd of recovering caribou, she said.

"There's grizzly carnivore successful the area, tiny fur-bearing animals ... we're acrophobic for the waters, the mountains, everything that resides successful that onshore base."

The B.C. Wildfire Service reported Friday morning that the Kiskatinaw River wildfire successful the Peace River Regional District adjacent the assemblage of Kelly Lake was astir 46 quadrate kilometres successful size, up from 11 sq. km Thursday afternoon. 

The occurrence is among astir 60 burning successful the province, and 1 of 34 that are classified arsenic retired of control.

The work said it expects accrued occurrence behaviour successful the northeast due to the fact that of semipermanent drought, Wednesday's blistery spell and wind.

Additional resources person been deployed to the portion arsenic a proactive measure.

LISTEN | An update connected the blaze:

Highway closed

The out-of-control occurrence is burning adjacent to the Pembina Steeprock state processing installation and Highway 52 E, which has been partially closed arsenic a result.

The Peace River Regional District issued the evacuation bid Thursday for homes astir Kelly Lake — about 80 kilometers southbound of Dawson Creek and instantly adjacent to the B.C.-Alberta borderline — as good as areas northbound of Campbell Lake — west of Tent Lake, southbound of Twin Lakes, and eastbound to the Alberta border.

Calliou said astir of the radical impacted by the evacuation bid were elders. About 10 residents person chosen to enactment behind, she said.

The online dashboard of the B.C. Wildfire Service says the Kiskatinaw River occurrence was discovered connected Wednesday and is believed to beryllium quality caused, which is the explanation fixed to immoderate occurrence not caused by lightning.

Of the progressive wildfires in B.C., the work says 18 per cent were quality caused, 77 per cent were started by lightning, portion 5 per cent person chartless causes.