Ainslie Creek wildfire evacuation orders downgraded as fire shows no growth

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District downgraded evacuation orders to evacuation alerts Friday for 58 properties impacted by the Ainslie Creek wildfire burning between Highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon, Highway 8, and Highway 5. The same day, 94 addresses in the Brookemere and Kane Valley Road area east of Highway 5 were downgraded to all clear.

The downgrades mean there are no longer any properties within the regional district under evacuation order due to the Ainslie Creek fire. As of Saturday afternoon, the fire was estimated at 67,722 hectares with no growth since Monday, Aug. 24.

Highway 1 through the Fraser Canyon reopened to traffic on Wednesday, Aug. 26, after being closed for seven weeks due to the risk of wildfire and falling debris. Traffic now runs single-lane alternating with a pilot car through a two-kilometre stretch either side of Alexandra Tunnel, where crews continue working alongside the highway. Drivers are instructed to obey all signage and speed limits, with expected delays of up to 30 minutes. Additional rockfall continues to be a hazard and periodically impacts the highway.

In the Fraser Canyon, crews are working towards 100-foot extinguishment west to east from Highway 1 to the transmission lines on the south flank. A Rapattack crew is being brought in to create more access into the Anderson Creek drainage.

BC Wildfire Service notes that more seasonal temperatures are returning, with highs in the low- to mid-twenties and relative humidity between 40 and 60 per cent during the day. Light rainfall has occurred over some areas of the fire, which will lower fire behaviour in the short term, but there is no "fire ending" rain in the weather models.

Despite the rain and seasonal relief, fire activity will likely occur in the interior of the fire's perimeter until winter due to extreme drought conditions across most of the trees and soil the fire is burning. Fire Behaviour Specialists conducting wood and soil sampling in the field found that moisture content remains very low.

An area restriction remains in effect for the entirety of the area covered by the Ainslie Creek wildfire, currently due to remain in place until noon on Monday, Aug. 31. The province has rescinded the prohibition on off-road vehicle use on Crown land in many other regions.