Brunswick Creek wildfire forces Highway 1 closure, evacuations and air‑quality warning in British Columbia

The Brunswick Creek wildfire, part of the Brunswick complex in the Fraser Canyon near Boston Bar, was first reported on July 2. By July 8 the combined blaze – 2,594 ha for Brunswick Creek and 8,816 ha for the nearby Ainslie Creek fire – had exceeded 11,000 ha. An incident‑management team has deployed about 160 firefighters, 12 helicopters (including night‑vision units), heavy equipment and structure‑protection crews.

Evacuation orders have been issued for Canyon Alpine, North Bend, the Boothroyd Indian Band and Boston Bar First Nation, with alerts covering roughly 250‑plus properties. Highway 1 between Boston Bar Station Road and Ainslie Road North remains closed. Smoke has triggered an air‑quality warning for the Chilcotin region and the Fraser Valley, with reduced visibility reported in Kamloops, Ashcroft and 70 Mile House. Environment Canada advises those with respiratory or cardiac conditions, pregnant people, infants and seniors to limit outdoor activity.

Fire officials say hot, dry, windy conditions have driven rapid fire growth and expect gusty winds to continue, keeping the fire out of control. The blaze is believed to be human‑caused.