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CBC
a day ago
- Climate
- CBC
Failed RCMP trailer ignited wildfire burning near Lytton, B.C., say police
Social Sharing A spark from a trailer belonging to an RCMP officer is responsible for a wildfire burning near Lytton, B.C., police say. The Izman Creek wildfire north of the village began around 2:20 p.m. PT on Tuesday, when the right side wheel of the officer's trailer flew off, causing sparks to ignite the dry grass ditch. "What appears to have happened is that equipment failure of an RCMP trailer resulted in the accidental ignition of the wildfire," said Sgt. Kris Clark, senior media relations officer for the B.C. RCMP. "The officer did stop immediately and tried to engage the flames with their fire extinguisher. However, the conditions obviously spread the fire very quickly and they were unable to contain the fire," said Clark. The Izman Creek fire covered an area of 130 hectares as of 9:30 a.m. PT Thursday, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service, a more than quadrupling in size from the 25 hectares recorded on Tuesday night. WATCH | Lytton mayor watching wildfire situation closely: Lytton mayor on alert as 2 wildfires burn nearby 2 hours ago Duration 7:31 Two wildfires continue to burn in the Lytton area and have closed a portion of Highway 12 to all traffic except local drivers. Mayor Denise O'Connor is keeping a close eye on the fires, but said there is no major risk to the village for now. The fire was upgraded to a wildfire of note on Thursday morning, a category of blazes that means a fire is especially visible or poses a risk to public safety. Clark said the B.C. Wildfire Service was immediately notified after the accident and crews were quickly dispatched to combat the fire. "It's just another reminder for extreme caution," said Clark. "It doesn't take much to start a fire in our wildfire season. Conditions are dry and, you know, something, something small, simple can cause, you know, a significant wildfire." "I mean, it's just a reminder how quickly something like this can happen … we've seen a number of situations where we've seen motor vehicle crashes or something like that where, you know, that have started fires," said Clark. Car crash fire near Merritt On Sunday, a vehicle crashed on Highway 5A along the north tip of Nicola Lake, just outside of Merritt, and caught fire, igniting a bush near the shoulder of the road. A witness said the driver of the vehicle swerved to avoid hitting a fox on the road, police say, however the driver refused a breath test by RCMP and was subsequently issued a driving prohibition by the officer. There were just over 87 wildfires burning in B.C. as of about 10 a.m. Thursday morning, 32 of which were classified as out of control, including the Izman Creek fire. The Izman Creek wildfire has resulted in three properties close to the highway being put on evacuation order and nine other properties being put on evacuation alert by the TNRD. The Lytton First Nation has also issued evacuation alerts for three properties along the highway. There are two fires burning in the Lytton area. The smaller blaze, the Nikaia Creek fire, covered an area of just under six hectares as of 10 a.m. Thursday morning, and was classified as controlled.
CTV News
a day ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Cooler conditions forecast for much of B.C., expected to aid in fire fight
The Izman Creek fire burning north of Lytton, B.C. is seen in this handout photo on Wednesday, July 2, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - BC Wildfire Service (Mandatory Credit) British Columbia's wildfire service says cool conditions and thunderstorms are in the forecast for much of the province as nearly 90 wildfires actively burn. Its latest situational report says thunderstorm activity is expected across the province, bringing a low to moderate chance of lightning provincewide. The BC Wildfire Service says nearly 75 per cent of the blazes burning in B.C. have been sparked by lightning. It says the Fort Nelson area in the northeast is getting the most rain, which will help reduce the intensity of the fires there. The service says north and central B.C. will see seasonal temperatures, and while there may be a slight drop in temperature in the south, hot and dry conditions are expected to linger. The forecast comes after an out-of-control wildfire near Lytton, B.C., is again threatening the community and set off evacuation orders and alerts about four years after a deadly fire ripped through the town. The service says the Izman Creek fire burning north of Lytton was discovered on Canada Day and has grown to about 130 hectares in size. The community is still in the process of rebuilding from the 2021 fire that killed two people and wiped out much of the village and part of the Lytton First Nation four years ago on Monday. The service says about 36 per cent of the wildfires actively burning in the province are classified as out of control, 30 per cent are being held and 34 per cent are under control. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 3, 2025. Brieanna Charlebois, The Canadian Press
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
B.C. wildfire was sparked by RCMP vehicle ‘failure'
A CPKC firefighting train sits on the tracks above the village of Lytton, B.C., on Tuesday, June 25, 2024. Mayor Denise O'Connor shared an update on the rebuilding progress Tuesday, ahead of the third anniversary of the fire that destroyed 90 per cent of the community. (Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press) Mounties in British Columbia say a wildfire that has prompted evacuation orders and alerts near the village of Lytton was sparked by an RCMP vehicle. The Izman Creek fire was discovered Tuesday after 'an equipment failure of an RCMP trailer resulted in the accidental ignition,' Staff Sgt. Kris Clark said in an emailed statement Thursday. 'It appears that the right side wheel ejected from the trailer ultimately causing a fire in the grass-filled ditch,' Clark added. 'The officer stopped to engage the flames with their issued fire extinguisher but the conditions were not favourable and they were unable contain the fire.' This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
