The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) has downgraded some properties on evacuation order to alert, and some on evacuation alert to all clear, due to decreased threat from the Ainslie Creek wildfire.

The fire, still burning out of control between Highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon, Highway 8, and Highway 5, showed minimal growth over the past 24 hours. As of noon on Monday (Aug. 24) it was estimated at 67,722 hectares; only 15 hectares larger than on Sunday.

An evacuation order covering 61 addressed properties around Spius Creek, Petit Creek, and Prospect Creek was downgraded to evacuation alert as of Monday. Approximately 58 addressed properties in the Coldwater Road/Patchett Road area remain on evacuation order.

An evacuation alert for 620 addressed properties in Lower Nicola, Collettville, and on Coldwater Road north of Coldwater IR 1 has been downgraded to all clear as of Monday. Some 283 properties in the TNRD remain on evacuation alert.

The Ainslie Creek fire saw low fire behaviour overnight on Aug. 23-24 due to cool temperatures and high humidity, and that is expected to continue on Monday due to milder conditions.

There has been minimal fire movement over the last several days in the area covered by the order and alert downgrades. Heavy equipment is continuing to work in the area to support crews in strengthening lines.

The guard at the top of the northeast finger of the fire, near Highway 8, continues to hold well, and crews and equipment continue to connect control lines where terrain and conditions allow. Aviation is supporting suppression efforts with bucketing, and structure protection crews will begin removing structure protection equipment as the fire risk decreases.

In the Fraser Canyon area of the fire, near the Anderson Creek drainage, crews continue to mop up around last week’s ignition area, to strengthen the control line. Heavy equipment is also working in the area. Crews are continuing to work along Anderson Creek FSR, connecting control lines where possible.

Highway 1 remains closed from Toll Road (Yale) to Aspen Road south of Boston Bar, with no estimated date of reopening. Highways 5 and 8 remain open to all traffic. For up-to-date road information, go to DriveBC.

For information about the TNRD’s evacuation order and alert downgrades, including an interactive map where residents can check the statues of individual properties, visit the TNRD’s Emergency Operations Centre Dashboard.

For information about the Ainslie Creek fire, and all other wildfires currently burning in the province, visit the BC Wildfire Service interactive map.