The B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) said cooler temperatures and lighter winds overnight helped crews battling the out-of-control Saw Creek wildfire near Lytton.
The service said on Monday that fire activity decreased the previous night near the small Southern Interior community, which was devastated by a wildfire in June 2021.
The BCWS said there’s potential for increased fire activity throughout Monday as temperatures in the area are expected to climb into the low thirties Celsius, with lower relative humidity.
The blaze was discovered on Friday, June 19, and has since grown to more than seven square kilometres.
BCWS said it’s classified as Rank 1-3 fire, meaning a low to moderately vigorous blaze.
Evacuation orders for much of Lytton and Lytton First Nation were downgraded Sunday to evacuation alerts, meaning residents must still be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.
The alert covers more than 200 properties in and around the village.
Amanda Bennett Arrieta, information officer with the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, said three properties within Lytton remain under an evacuation order.
She said there are an additional 12 properties in the district also under evacuation order.
“We are still confirming structure loss or impacts to structure, so we don’t have anything to share that’s confirmed at this time,” she said.
A boil water advisory is in effect for Lytton and parts of the Lytton First Nation due to the fire.
Highway 1 is closed in both directions for about 120-kilometres between Cache Creek and Boston Bar. DriveBC said drivers should use Hwy 5 and Hwy 97C as alternative routes.
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