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Human-caused wildfire forces out long-weekend campers near Harrison Lake

Dozens of personnel joined the battle Monday against a growing wildfire in a popular forested recreational area near Harrison Hot Springs.

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The B.C. Wildfire Service says the fire on the west side of Harrison Lake has grown larger than the 45 hectares that was reported on Sunday evening, when two nearby campgrounds were evacuated.

About 70 personnel are working on the fire with four helicopters and heavy machinery.

The fire is 20 kilomtres north of Harrison Hot Springs and it’s zero-percent contained. At least five to 10 millimetres of rain could fall in the area, perhaps more in the mountains.

“It is dropping in chop and rub, a explosive oil and actually has an inclination to get bigger fairly quickly”, said lay off detail police officer Donna MacPherson of this very Coastal Fire Service.

This fire was caused by people and was completely preventable.

About 140 fires are now burning throughout the province and the fire danger rating in a few areas – particularly in the southwest just inland from the coast – has been increased to extreme.

No structures are threatened and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

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There have been 1,390 wildfires in B.C. this season, including 428 that were human-caused, said Provincial Fire Information Officer Kevin Skrepnek.

Fire west of Harrison Lake; Martin Mars among those responding