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Authorities in the Fraser Valley are urging people to leave areas under evacuation orders due to a wildfire near Boston Bar, noting some residents have decided to stay.
According to the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD), there are no emergency services such as ambulances in evacuation order areas and exits may be closed without warning.
“This is a dynamic emergency, changes are happening quickly, and we need people to leave the area for their protection and the protection of first responders,” spokeswoman Samantha Piper said in a Saturday release.
“They are in danger.”
About 450 properties were ordered to evacuate due to the Brunswick Creek complex. It is unclear how many people decided to defy the orders.
The Brunswick Creek and Ainslie Creek wildfires are burning on opposite banks of the Fraser River near Boston Bar, covering a combined area of about 200 square kilometers.
A wildfire, pictured on a hill behind a house, forced the evacuation of a Boston, British Columbia bar on July 16, 2026. (Attila Banhegyi)
Piper warns that people are not allowed to travel within the evacuation order area, noting that checkpoints have been set up to restrict emergency crews from entering.
Highway 1 near Boston Bar is currently open to one lane in each direction with reduced speeds. Stopping is prohibited in the fire zone.
“Security officers continue to patrol evacuated areas 24 hours a day and coordinate with the RCMP to monitor for suspicious activity,” Piper said.
Evacuees needing support can find more information on the FVRD website.
An update posted to the BC Forest Fire Service website Saturday evening noted that cooler temperatures and higher humidity over the past few days are helping fire suppression efforts, but forecast wind gusts of up to 40 km/h could intensify fire behavior.