Fast-growing wildfire near Kamloops now ‘highly visible’ from city

A fast-moving wildfire that has prompted evacuation orders and alerts in and around the Kamloops area expanded rapidly to 18 square kilometres in size on Sunday as it moved closer to the city limits.

The Ross Moore Lake fire, first discovered Friday afternoon, is now about 13 km south of the city and more than doubled in size overnight.

The BC Wildfire Service said the blaze is now “highly visible” from the city and surrounding areas and the Thompson Nicola Regional District has ordered people in 49 properties out of their homes, as about 330 others remain on alert.

The blaze is one of about 480 active fires burning across the province.

Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma told a news conference Sunday that the fires burning near Kamloops “are concerning.”