Hundreds more properties on alert as winds fan massive northeast B.C. wildfire

VANCOUVER - Hundreds more properties have been warned to be ready to evacuate on short notice after high winds fanned a massive wildfire in northeastern British Columbia that is the second largest in the province’s history. The Peace River Regional District issued the latest alert covering 370 more properties in remote areas north of Fort St. John Monday as winds whipped up the 4,660-square-kilometre Donnie Creek blaze. The service says winds responsible for the weekend trouble between Fort St. John and Fort Nelson aided firefighters on a separate blaze to the south, which prompted Thursday’s evacuation of the entire northeastern community of Tumbler Ridge. Environment Canada is calling for showers in the northeast on Tuesday, with between five and 10 millimetres of rain in the Fort St. John area, although the weather office says there is also a risk of gusty winds and lightning. An earlier version incorrectly stated that the Peace River Regional District issued an evacuation order covering 370 more properties Monday.