The Dryden Creek wildfire in Squamish, British Columbia, which broke out on June 9th, has grown to approximately 54 hectares as of 10:00 p.m. on June 11th and is out of control.
According to Squamish RCMP, the fire was first discovered at about 5:30 p.m. on the 9th after a report of smoke rising from a hill near the end of Tantalus Road. Dry weather caused the fire to spread quickly, growing to 5 hectares in just a few hours. By the morning of the 11th, it had grown to about 20 hectares, and by the afternoon of the same day, high winds had caused the fire to spread further north, more than doubling in size.
A “regional emergency” was declared for Squamish on the 10th, and evacuation warnings were issued for approximately 200 homes in the Breckendale, Tantalus Road and Skyridge areas east of Highway 99. Evacuation orders were also issued for nearby Alice Lake Provincial Park on the 11th. According to Squamish officials, the fire had not yet reached the park as of 10 p.m. on the 11th, but the decision to close the park was made considering the smoke and predicted progression of the fire.
Police are investigating the fire as likely human-caused. The fire is believed to have started around 4pm near the bike path just off Tantalus Road and police are appealing for information. Squamish RCMP: 604-892-6100