UPDATE: 6:10 p.m.
While rain has assisted in the fight against the Goosmus wildfire and winds have calmed down, more evacuation orders and alerts have been issued.
There are now 156 residences on evacuation order and 567 on evacuation alert due to the blaze.
According to the RDKB Emergency Operations Centre, no structures have been lost at this time due to the fire.
Highway 3 is also closed from Highway 41 to Phoenix Road.
Evacuees are asked to go the Red Cross reception centre at the Grand Forks Arena which will be open after 7 p.m.
UPDATE 6 p.m.
BC Wildfire is currently deploying crews and structural protection resources to the Grand Forks area as the Goosmus blaze pushes north.
The fire is currently estimated to be 200 hectares in size and is expected to spread.
UPDATE: 5:40 p.m.
The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) has been activated to a level 3 due to the Goosmus Wildfire south of Danville in Washington State.
“This is a very fast-moving and developing situation,” said Mark Stephens, EOC director. “We ask everyone to stay vigilant and to keep checking the RDKB website for information.”
Evacuees are to check in at the Red Cross reception centre located at Jack Goddard Memorial Arena, 2020 Central Avenue, in Grand Forks.
However, the reception centre might not yet be open and according to Stephens residents are being asked to stay in their vehicles until the centre is open, which is likely within the hour.
Anyone on evacuation alert can pre-register online for emergency support services at https://ess.gov.bc.ca/. Residents are asked to register for the RDKB Emergency Alerting System – Voyent Alert – on the RDKB’s emergency website https://emergency.rdkb.com/
High winds have whipped up a fast-growing fire that started south of the Canada-U.S. border near Grand Forks and quickly moved northwest into the city with evacuation orders in place for several neighbourhoods as it poses a threat to human life.
Thick smoke and visible flames on Galena Mountain from the Goosmus wildfire were visible around 3 p.m. coming north from Washington State, with Grand Forks Fire/Rescue coordinating ember-spotting and evacuations as American wildfire crews with bucket helicopters shortly after.
Evacuation orders for Sleepy Hollow Road, Danshin Village Road and homes on the north and south side of Spencer Hill were in place by 4:30 p.m. Flames were also spotted in the Sleepy Hollow Road area southwest of the city.
Grand Forks Fire/Rescue is patrolling the southwest area as far east as 68th Avenue checking for ember-caused flames.
Early reports from witnesses say the fire was caused by lightning from an incoming storm and fed by winds as high as 50 km/h.
BC Emergency Alert has been issued by the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary to evacuate immediately for anyone west of Highway 41 and south of Highway 3. Any properties west of Highway 3 from Sleepy Hollow Rd to Phoenix Rd to leave immediately.
Evacuate immediately east along Highway 3 and check in at the Red Cross reception centre located at Jack Goddard Memorial Arena, 2020 Central Avenue, in Grand Forks.
This is a developing story.
