B.C.’s Public Safety Minister says RCMP are investigating what led to the start of the Brook Creek wildfire, southeast of Merritt and just outside of Brookmere.

Mike Farnworth made mention of the new fire that started on Saturday, east of the Coquihalla Highway. “A violent encounter and a clear disregard for safety on a road south of Merritt led to a vehicle fire, which then led to evacuations in Brookmere,” he said.

Reports have said there was a domestic incident, potentially involving alcohol, during which a man allegedly left a barbecue on in the back of his truck before the truck caught fire on Coldwater Road.

That fire then spread into the forest during gusting winds, leading to the Brook Creek fire and a large-scale response from local and provincial fire crews.

“The same details you are aware of are the same ones that I am aware of,” Farnworth said, when asked by NL News to confirm whether that was part of the course of events.

One-hundred properties had to be evacuated after the fire started. Another 90 properties are now on evacuation alert, including Aspen Grove and Kentucky-Alleyne.

According to the Tulameen Fire Department, the fire was showing rank six activity when it broke out, and people in Brookmere had to be tactically evacuated through Tulameen.

NL News has also reached out to BC RCMP for any details on the investigation, but has not yet received a response.

And that fire has now merged with the July Mountain wildfire, and is now 20,860 hectares in size according to the BC Wildfire Service.

A witness to the fire scene, Scott Nelson, shared images and videos online on Saturday after the blaze broke out, which can be seen below.