VANCOUVER — Good news in the ongoing battle to contain an aggressive, 70-square-kilometre blaze raging in the Cariboo Region of Central British Columbia.
Crews have managed to contain just under a third of the Puntzi Lake fire, burning about 150 kilometres west of Williams Lake.
The fire more than doubled in size on Saturday, from 30 to 70 square kilometres, thanks to strong winds and an abundance of dry fuel.
Fire officials have ordered 90 properties in the region to evacuate, while more than 180 remain on evacuation alert.
So far several properties have been destroyed by the flames, including a hunting and fishing lodge, two permanent homes and one seasonal residence.
Lightning was responsible for starting about 60 new wildfires across B.C. over the weekend, although the cause of the Puntzi Lake blaze remains under investigation.
