An out-of-control wildfire in British Columbia's steep Fraser Canyon forced authorities to close a section of Highway 1 on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.
The expanding flames placed 146 properties under mandatory evacuation orders.
The 1,800-hectare Brunswick Complex fire prompted DriveBC to shut down a 10.5-kilometer stretch of the highway between Boston Bar Station Road and Ainslie Road North shortly before 4:00 p.
m.
Thick smoke, high winds, and inaccessible terrain have hindered firefighting operations.
More than 100 personnel, seven heavy machinery units, and 12 helicopters—including two with night vision capabilities—are actively battling the blaze.
Officials with the B. C.
Wildfire Service reported that the complex includes the newly active Ainslie Creek fire, which reached 695 hectares by Tuesday evening.
Hot and dry conditions are expected to fuel further expansion.
Evacuations and Alerts
The evacuation orders heavily impact the North Bend and Fishblue Lake areas within the Fraser Valley Regional District.
Also affected are the Boothroyd Indian Band and the Boston Bar First Nation.
An additional 200 properties remain on high alert.
“I would encourage all folks in that area to be on high alert, and, of course, to have their go-bags ready in case an alert order comes forward,” said B.
C. Forests Minister Ravi Parmar.
The minister noted that regional governments would handle any subsequent notices as local conditions evolved throughout the evening.
“We want British Columbians to know that we’re in a solid position, we’ve got lots of crews on the ground, and we also have an incident management team in place that’s now managing this complex,” Parmar added.
He cautioned that a hotter and drier summer than usual has heightened seasonal wildfire risks across the province.
“We do expect it to be a hotter than normal and drier than normal summer, and with that comes the risk of wildfires,” Parmar stated.
Meanwhile, the B. C.
Wildfire Service confirmed that specialized teams are deployed on the northern and southern flanks of the blaze to protect local properties.
“Ground crews are conducting direct attack and assisting structure protection operations on the northern flank of the fire,” the wildfire service said.
Emergency personnel are also establishing containment lines to halt the southward progression of the flames.
“Ground crews are also working with heavy equipment to create a fuel break south of the fire,” the wildfire service added.
The massive smoke plume from the Brunswick Creek blaze has drifted northeast, triggering widespread air-quality warnings across the B.
C. Interior from Hope to Kamloops.
The evening sky turned an eerie hue, though operations at Kamloops Airport remain unaffected.
