UPDATE 2 p.m. – The Watching Creek fire, northwest of Kamloops, is now a Fire of Note.

BC Wildfire Service Information Officer, Aydan Coray, says the lightning caused fire which was discovered last Friday before growing to 80 hectares yesterday has now more than doubled in size to 195 hectares as of this morning.

“We do currently have aerial resources including helicopters and a bird dog evaluating from the air for any possible response tactics we can take,” she said. “Our ground personnel remain on standby and once we have safe access and egress routes established, they will be deployed.”

The Wildfire Service notes six skimmer airtankers are also actioning the fire today.

Coray told NL News the Watching Creek Fire is about 19 kilometres east of where last summer’s massive Sparks Lake Fire burned.

The TNRD has issued an evacuation alert for properties in the Lac du Bois, McQueen Lake, and Isobel Lake areas, while the City of Kamloops says it is also monitoring this fire.

The Watching Creek Fire is the four Wildfire of Note this summer after the 3,162 hectare Nohomin Creek wildfire near Lytton, the 2,790 hectare Keremeos Creek wildfire between Keremeos and Penticton, and the 800 hectare Maria Creek wildfire, six kilometres northeast of Pavilion.

“When we designate a fire as a Wildfire of Note, we are mostly looking at things like ‘is the wildfire highly visible to surrounding communities?’ or ‘is there an evacuation alert or order in place?’ or ‘is there any infrastructure threatened?'” Coray added.

“So right now, because of that evacuation alert and because it is quite close to Kamloops, quite visible, we want to make sure that we are using the best resources that we can to communicate out as much information as possible.”

You’ll find the latest information on the Watching Creek Fire here.