UPDATE - June 18, 12:51 p.m.:
The Martin Lake wildfire has now grown to 1,810 hectares in size.
BCWS, in their response update, says that the fire has grown to the northeast with winds out the west in the past few days.
They add that heavy equipment is continuing to work overnight on the fire and that more resources are expected to be mobilized over the next few days.
Smoke is visible for motorists travelling on Highway 20, however, BCWS adds that there are no impacts on the highway currently.
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UPDATE - June 17, 3:02 p.m.:
The Martin Lake wildfire has grown to 1,183 hectares in size.
In addition, BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) says lightning may have been the cause of the expanding wildfire.
In its Response Update, BCWS says the fire was displaying rank two fire behavior - a low vigorous surface fire, as they describe it. BCWS adds that heavy equipment worked overnight on the fire and that more resources are expected to be mobilized over the next few days. Finally, they say that motorists travelling on Highway 20 will see smoke - but there are no impacts to the highway.
BCWS also said that lower temperatures are expected for Wednesday with winds gusting to 30-40km in the Chilcotin zone.
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Update:
The fire 3.5 km northwest of Tatla Lake has grown to 661 hectares as of Tuesday, June 17.
BC Wildfire Service notes on its website that suppression actions are being taken to limit the spread of this unwanted wildfire.
BCWS crews, aviation resources and heavy equipment are all on site.
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Original:
An evacuation alert has been issued by the Cariboo Regional District at its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) for 30 parcels, 14 structures in the Martin Lake Area.
The alert, which went into effect Monday evening, June 15, 2025, covers 38,453 hectares.
Martin Lake is located just north of the community of Tatla Lake.
A wildfire was discovered 3.5 km northwest of Tatla Lake on Sunday, Jun 15, that has grown to 290 hectares Monday.
"Because of the potential danger to life and health due to wildfire, the Caribo Regional District has issued an evacuation alert," noted the CRD in a news release.
Residents will be given as much advance notice as possible prior to evacuation; however you may receive limited notice due to changing conditions.
Upon notification of an alert, residents should be prepared for the evacuation order:
Have a plan to transport all family members or co-workers outside of the area, should the area be brought under evacuation order.
Make grab-and-go bags for each member of your household to keep essential items readily available for a quick departure. Pack clothing, ready-to-eat food, toiletries, medications, eyeglasses, valuable papers (i.e. insurance), immediate care needs for dependents and, if you choose, keepsakes (photographs, etc.).
Ensure that any dependents or pets are prepared for departure. Gather comfort items (blankets, stuffed animals, etc.) for your dependents to make an evacuation less stressful. Gather any kennels or leashes to make transportation safe with your pets.
Move pets and livestock to a safe area if they cannot be evacuated. Ensure water and feed are available.
Keep the fuel tanks of personal vehicles full in case a new order is issued.
Ensure that you have accommodation options for your family, if possible. An Evacuee Reception Centre will be made available if required. Homeowner or tenant insurance may provide greater support than ESS will be able to.
Monitor reliable news sources for information on evacuation orders and locations of Reception Centres and the CRD’s channels on Facebook and cariboord.ca.
If you are on an evacuation ALERT, or if you have been displaced from your home due to an emergency, please self-register for Emergency Support Services. You will need to sign up for the BC Services Card app to access the self-registration tool, which will reduce wait times for evacuees and assist in the referral process. https://ess.gov.bc.ca/.Further information will be issued as it becomes available. Please visit the CRD Emergency Operations Facebook as well as the CRD website at cariboord.ca/EOC. For more information contact the CRD's emergency information line beginning Tuesday, June 17 at 8 a.m. at 1-866-759-4977 (8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. daily).
Residents are encouraged to register for the Cariboo Chilcotin Emergency Notification System to receive a text, call or email regarding Evacuation Alerts and Orders.
