Wildfire near Boston Bar community in Canada grows more than fourfold overnight

A wildfire near the Boston Bar community in Canada's British Columbia province grew more than fourfold overnight as firefighters faced hot, dry conditions expected to fuel further intense fire activity, according to the British Columbia Wildfire Service on Wednesday.

A CBC News report said the Anderson Creek wildfire was discovered Tuesday afternoon beside Highway 1 and expanded from about 10 square kilometers (3.9 square miles) to more than 43 square kilometers (16.6 square miles) by Wednesday morning.

The wildfire service said the blaze "spread rapidly upslope" after it was detected by aircraft responding to the nearby Brunswick Creek wildfire.

Helicopters provided immediate water-bombing support, but the terrain and rapid spread prevented crews from stopping the fire's advance up the hillside.

Southerly winds then pushed the fire north across the slope, while "fast-moving crown fire" behavior continued into the night.

"Based on today's weather forecast, we are expecting another challenging day," the agency said, warning that hot and very dry conditions could lead to aggressive fire behavior similar to the previous day.

The Anderson Creek fire is being managed as part of the Brunswick Complex, which also includes the Brunswick Creek and Ainslie Creek wildfires.

Structural firefighters activated sprinkler systems and carried out overnight structure defense in Boston Bar, Boston Bar First Nation and the Green Ranch Road area. Fire crews were also patrolling communities for hotspots.

The wildfire service said steep terrain and intense fire behavior had made direct attacks unsafe for ground crews, while crews were working to extinguish fire along the Highway 1 corridor where conditions allowed.

"Smoke is expected to limit aviation operations today. Aircraft will be utilized when visibility allows for safe flying," the wildfire service said.