Highway 5 between Hope and Merritt remains closed due to an out-of-control wildfire.
DriveBC said the Coquihalla route was closed Wednesday as the Mine Creek wildfire burned close to the highway.
It said drivers can take Highway 1 or Highway 3 as alternate routes, and should expect delays.
Video footage posted to social media shows vehicles driving through heavy smoke and flying embers as flames rage along the roadway.
The B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) said the Mine Creek fire is burning Rank 5, meaning it’s an extremely vigorous fire.
The fire has grown to about 19-square-kilometres since it was discovered on Sept 1.
B.C. Wildfire Service information officer Taylor Stewart-Shantz told Vista News it’s a challenging battle for crews.
“This is very steep, very rocky terrain, and there is not a lot of road access due to several bridge wash-outs from previous floods,” she said.
Stewart-Shantz said BCWS recommended the closure of the section of Highway 5 Wednesday afternoon after the fire spread rapidly toward the highway, due to high temperatures and more wind activity than forecasters expected.
She said there have been no reports of structure damage.
The Thompson Regional District issued an evacuation order for one property near Highway 5, and evacuation alerts for the surrounding area, including the community of Brookmere.
The Fraser Valley Regional District has also issued an evacuation alert for the Coquihalla Lakes area, including the Coquihalla Summit Recreation Area.
Heat and smoke warnings in place across B.C.
Forests Minister Ravi Parmar said in a wildfire update Wednesday hot and dry conditions across much of the province, combined with an uptick in lightning strikes, have led to an increased fire risk.
“With no significant rain forecast, I cannot stress enough how vigilant people need to be at this time,” said Parmar.
He also said significant wildfire smoke continues to spread across the province, mostly from fires in northern B.C., Yukon and the Northwest Territories.
Environment Canada issued special air quality statements for Metro Vancouver, the southern and central Interior and northeast B.C. all the way up to the Yukon border.
Meanwhile, heat warnings are in effect for the 100 Mile, Boundary, Fraser Canyon, and Thompson regions. Daytime highs in the mid 30s are expected Thursday.
