UPDATE: Shovel Lake evacuation alert expanded to include Hwy27 to Fort St. James

UPDATE – 9PM:

The evacuation ALERT for the 50,000-plus hectare Shovel Lake wildfire has been expanded for a second time today.

This latest update now includes the following:

• East of the Augier Main FSR to Highway 27
• North of Highway 16 and the north shore of Fraser Lake to Stuart Lake

Residents are being reminded once again to prepared to evacuate should this alert be upgraded to an order.

If you’re under the ORDER, the RDBN is asking you to leave immediately, travel to the CN Centre in Prince George, and register with Emergency Support Services.

More information is listed below.

ORIGINAL STORY – 4:30PM:

It appears the outskirts of Vanderhoof and Fort St. James are inching closer into the evacuation zones for the Shovel Lake wildfire.

The Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako (RDBN) has issued an expansion on both the ORDER and ALERT for the areas, despite no growth in one of the province’s largest out-of-control blazes, which remains at under 51,000 hectares.

As of 3:30PM today, residents living in the following areas are now under an ORDER from the RDBN:

• East of the center of Taltapin Lake and the Bomberger FSR to south of the Camsell FSR-Cunningham FSR Junction and Cunningham FSR-Marie North FSR Junction.
• The west and north shore of Fraser Lake to Dog Creek Rd. and Nadleh River

Residents living in the following areas are under an ALERT and should be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice:

• East of the Augier Main FSR to Necoslie and Dog Creek FSR
• North of Highway 16 and the north shore of Fraser Lake
• South of Stuart Lake and Mount Pope Park

For more evacuee information, you can click here.

For more information on all the current wildfires in the Northwest and Prince George Fire Centres, you can click here.

Please Share: #BCWildfire is impacting many side roads in #northernBC and the southern interior. We’ve put together list of those roads impacted to help you know before you go: https://t.co/sdpeVX0cjV #BC @DriveBC

— BC Transportation (@TranBC) August 15, 2018