UPDATE 11 p.m. – The White Rock Lake wildfire has grown to an estimated 55,000 hectares in size after strong winds from the southwest yesterday and today, gusting to 40 km/hr at times.

For the most part, it forced the out-of-control fire to the northeast on Thursday, causing heavy destruction to the community of Monte Lake.

“Over the past 24-hours predominant fire growth has been along the northeastern and eastern flanks, as well as minimal growth along the southeast flank,” Fire Information Officer, Hannah Swift, said.

Prichard, Monte Creek, and the rural part of Barnhartvale in the TNRD were among communities put on an evacuation order Thursday while an evacuation alert was put in place for Dallas, Barnhartvale, and Campbell Creek within the city of Kamloops.

Several roads in the Barnhartvale area are closed to support BC Wildfire fighters as they continue to fight the fire.

Evacuation orders were already in place for Westwold and Falkland area.

The village of Chase and areas just outside that community were put on evacuation alert Friday morning. An evacuation order was also expanded Friday evening to include 10 properties at Six Mile Creek Road, north of Falkland.

Friday evening, an evacuation order was issued for 975 properties previously on evacuation alert along Westside Road in the Okanagan. The affected area runs south from Ewings Landing to the south end of La Casa Lakeside Resort.

Further, the Okanagan Indian Band (OKIB) has also issued an expanded evacuation order on Friday night, while most of the City of Vernon and the District of Coldstream is also on evacuation alert.

Also Friday evening, the township of Spallumcheen and the City of Armstrong each issued evacuation alerts based on advice from BC Wildfire.

The fire is showing Rank four and five behaviour (with six being the maximum) and it is challenging suppression efforts, according to the BC Wildfire Service, as of 9 p.m. Friday.

“What we are seeing with the fire is that it is aligning with features, so that’s lake features, valley features. It essentially makes a channel for the fire to accelerate to, and that’s what we saw in a number of locations,” BC Wildfire Service Incident Commander, Scott Rennick, said on Friday morning, noting winds are expected to continue today.

“With the extreme drought conditions that we are in at this point, even with cooler temperatures and relative humidity that may be rising. These winds, especially diurnal winds as they’re being pushed down from the lake will cause us growth into the Okanagan.”

As for the extent of structural loss in Monte Lake, the BCWS says a full assessment of the loss has not yet been done due to safety concerns and heavy smoke.

“Last night, those who choose not to leave Evacuation Order areas put B.C.’s first responders at tremendous risk,” the BC Wildfire Service statement added, a sentiment shared by Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth.

“Efforts were taken away from actively suppressing the wildfire and protecting structures and were redirected towards tactically evacuating those who choose to remain in Evacuation Order areas.”

“This continues to be an incredibly volatile situation displaying extremely vigorous surface and active crown fire with spotting upwards of one kilometre ahead of the main fire front,” the statement added.

“If you are in an Evacuation Order area you must leave immediately.”

Several local ranchers tell NL News they were told not to action the fire back on July 13 when it broke out at an estimated 10 hectares in size.

For the latest on the White Rock Lake fire, go here.