Smoke from the Ross Moore Lake Fire/via Brett Mineer
First discovered on Friday afternoon, just before 2 p.m., the Ross Moore Lake Fire has blown up 700 hectares in size, prompting more evacuation orders.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District has expanded its evacuation order to cover 49 properties south of Kamloops. It includes the one property owner that was forced out late Friday.
A number of TNRD properties now ordered evacuated were previously on evacuation alert, with over 300 properties – including a handful of new ones – still on an alert.
The City of Kamloops has also put properties in Knutsford on an evacuation alert. It includes the following:
- All properties in Knutsford on Princeton-Kamloops Highway (Highway 5A) from (and including) 2565 Princeton-Kamloops Highway to City boundary.
- All properties on Simms Road, Simms Place, and Knutsford Hills Drive.
- All properties on Long Lake Road from Princeton-Kamloops Highway to City boundary.
“This Evacuation Alert has been issued to prepare you to evacuate your premises or property should it be found necessary,” the City of Kamloops said. “Residents will be given as much advance notice as possible prior to evacuation; however you may receive limited notice due to changing conditions.”
Here is the map of Knutsford properties in #Kamloops that are on evacuation alert due to the Ross Moore Lake wildfire.
Knutsford properties in the @TNRD are already on evacuation alert. pic.twitter.com/SGK0ybSAB0
— Victor Mario Kaisar (@supermario_47) July 23, 2023
Fueled by strong winds and a lack of precipitation, the fire – roughly 24 kilometers southwest of Kamloops – has grown to 700 hectares, as of 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
“Burning Rank 4, which is a very vigorous and sweeping surface fire, with some torching of the trees as well,” said Taylor Shantz with the BC Wildfire Service’s Kamloops Fire Centre. “We had air tankers actioning the fire, and continuing to do so. There are crews on-site with a response officer. We also have a heavy equipment crew which is working to set up containment lines.”
The fire was being driven northward on Saturday afternoon by the prevailing winds.
Thermal image of the heat emanating from the Ross Moore Lake fire/via NASA
The City of Kamloops is not under any threat at this point, though civic officials are keeping watch on the situation.
Meanwhile, the Lower East Adams Lake fire burning to the northeast of Kamloops has also grown, now measuring 320 hectares as of Saturday afternoon.
That fire is also moving northward, away from properties in the area.
Over 100 properties in the east Adams Lake area are under an evacuation alert.
The Fire Danger Rating in the Kamloops Fire Centre has now been bumped up to High to Extreme due to the hot and dry conditions, which saw temperatures in Kamloops hit over 38 degrees on Thursday, and over 37 on Friday.
Environment Canada has issued a special air quality statement for the next 24 to 48 hours due to the smoke, which is visible throughout Kamloops and the South Thompson area.
The forecast is calling for another day of 34 C temperatures on Sunday, before temperatures take a downward trend on Monday, with the possibility of showers on Monday evening.
– with files from Victor Kaisar
