NEW WESTMINSTER — A fierce wildfire exploding south of Boston Bar has sent a towering smoke column into the sky some have compared to a nuclear mushroom cloud, forcing officials to order every remaining resident out of the Fraser Canyon community.
On Tuesday, authorities expanded evacuation orders to cover Boston Bar, Boston Bar First Nation, North Bend, Canyon Alpine and additional properties south of the community, including areas near Hell’s Gate and Scuzzy Creek Forest Service Road. Residents were told to drive north on Highway 1 immediately.
Sections of Highways 1 and 3 were closed due to fire activity and heavy smoke.
“You are in danger and need to evacuate now,” a Fraser Valley Regional District statement warned those still in the area. “For your safety, residents who have remained in the community must leave now.”
The Western Standard has learned some residents remain in place.
Photos circulating online show the dramatic plume rising high above the canyon, with some observers describing the scale and intensity of the fire as among the most striking of the current season.
The fire started Tuesday afternoon. Strong winds pushed it from roughly 300 hectares to about 1,000 hectares in just a few hours.
It is now burning in multiple directions around Boston Bar and is creating its own weather, sending a massive smoke plume so high into the sky it could be seen from Coquitlam, airplanes, and on weather radar.
Even more intense videos circulating on social media Wednesday morning show the fire from ground level, capturing rapid uphill runs, heavy smoke and extreme conditions near Highway 1.
People in contact with residents on the ground told the Western Standard that at least some people remained in place as of a few hours ago, despite the dynamic and dangerous conditions.
