©BCWildfireService

The entire City of Kimberley has been placed under an evacuation alert as an out-of-control wildfire burns west of the East Kootenay community. The alert covers all properties within Kimberley’s municipal boundaries, affecting roughly 9,000 people. Residents are not being ordered to leave but are being told to prepare in case conditions worsen. The Matthew Creek wildfire was discovered Saturday and is estimated to be 5.67 square kilometres (567 hectares) as of Sunday evening. The B.C. Wildfire Service says the fire began at high elevation in steep, mountainous terrain that is unsafe for crews to access directly. It says strong winds, steep slopes and spruce-balsam forest helped drive rapid growth. The blaze was burning as a highly vigorous and fast-moving fire Saturday but crews say fire behaviour had eased by Sunday. …Heavy equipment has been mobilized with three helicopters responding to the wildfire.