The Ross Moore Lake fire near Lac Le Jeune on July 21, 2023. (Photo via BC Wildfire Service)
As expected, the fire burning south of Kamloops has exploded in size since yesterday, as homes and properties continue to be under threat from the massive blaze.
The BC Wildfire Service confirming the Ross Moore Lake Fire is now 18-hundred hectares in size, jumping up from the 700 hectare figure last night.
Shaelee Stearns with the Kamloops Fire Center says action is being taken to try to keep the fire in-check.
“It’s still classified as out of control,” noted Stearns. “We did have crews on it yesterday, as well as a heavy equipment task force, and they will be returning to site this morning as well to continue actioning this fire.”
The fire, which started about 24-kilometers south of Kamloops on Friday is now just 13-kilometers away from the city limits.
Satellite heat imaging of the Ross Moore Lake Fire/via NASA
Stearns says the weather today isn’t going to help.
“We’re still looking at sunny weather today with some higher temperatures, which can influence fire activity throughout the day, especially as we see that relative humidity start to decrease.”
So far no properties are known to have been lost.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District expanded its evacuation order yesterday 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 around 330 properties 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 yesterday. “Residents will be given as much advance notice as possible prior to evacuation; however you may receive limited notice due to changing conditions.”
The fire has prompted the City of Kamloops to open up its Emergency Operations Center.
“The EOC will be receiving the latest information on fire behavior from BC Wildfire Services and weather conditions from Environment and Climate Change Canada,” said the City in a release put out on Sunday morning. “For the latest information on the City of Kamloops’ response to the Ross Moore Lake Fire, including current evacuation alerts, visit LetsTalk.Kamloops.ca/Emergency and follow us on social media.”
“All City of Kamloops residents are encouraged to sign up for Voyent! Alert, the City’s emergency alert system. In the event of an evacuation alert or order being put in place, this system will be a vital way of alerting and updating the public. If used, the notification will include important information about the event and instructions for if any action is required,” said the City.
