The Columbia-Shuswap Regional District has issued an evacuation alert for the communities of Lee Creek and Scotch Creek as well as all of Tsútswecw Provincial Park.

It comes as the BC Wildfire Service is reporting some “significant southeastward” growth on the Lower East Adams Lake Fire overnight, fuelled by winds, to an estimated 100 square kilometers in size.

“Northerly/northwesterly winds of 10 to 15 kilometres per hour are forecast today,” the BC Wildfire Service said, in an online update, noting it was approximately four kilometres north of the nearest structure in Lee Creek.

“Some of the fire was able to breach some of the fire guard which have been put in there,” CSRD spokesperson Tracy Hughes, told Radio NL.

“Those guards were some sort of trigger points, and so we’ve worked with BC Wildfire to determine that there was an increased risk to the community of Lee Creek, and that is why we’ve told everyone to get prepared.”

Hughes says the evacuation alert covers about 2,214 addresses in the North Shuswap – 1,457 in Scotch Creek and 757 in Lee Creek.

“I’m hoping that residents really take our messaging seriously when we say be prepared to leave on short notice. That means getting your grab and go bags. That means having things to sustain you for possible 72 hours,” Hughes said. “That also means making preparation for your pets.”

She’s also asking tourists in the area to consider going back home.

“With an evacuation alert in place for Lee Creek, it is time for visitors to think about packing up and heading home,” the CSRD said in a post on Twitter. “Now is not the time to come into or through an evacuation alert area with an active fire situation. We will be pleased to welcome you once the situation is safe.”

Hughes says Structure Protection Units have already been staged in both Lee Creek and nearby Scotch Creek as winds were expected to pick up and increase fire activity in the area.

“Certainly we have those resources available to our local communities. It just seemed logical to stage those resources in the community knowing that that is our most active fire area,” Hughes added.

Both the Adams Plateau and the Adams Plateau Corning Forest Service Roads are now closed because if concerns about public safety.

“The cold front remains forecast for Thursday, with sustained 40 to 50km/hr winds from the southwest. This will be affected by local topography like Adams Lake and valley systems, but growth should primarily be in a northeast direction on Thursday,” the BCWS added.

“However, winds are expected to switch back to northwesterly on Friday and remain strong as the cold front passage finishes.”

The Northern Reach of the Tsútswecw Provincial Park was put on an evacuation alert back on August 2. Evacuation alerts also remain in place in the Dorian Bay, Woolford Point, and Enns Reach areas along the shores of Adams Lake.

For the latest on the Lower East Adams Lake fire, go here.