Major B.C. Highway closed as wildfire prompts evacuation order
Update: The Ministry of Transportation and Transit has announced that the Coquihalla Highway between Hope and Merritt has reopened in both directions.
Due to the proximity of the Mine Creek Wildfire, drivers are warned that the highway could be closed again with minimal notice. Drivers are also advised to not stop at any time in the fire zone.
An out-of-control wildfire in B.C.’s Fraser Valley and Thompson-Nicola region has forced the closure of a section of Coquihalla Highway, with no timeline for reopening.
The Mine Creek Wildfire, currently listed at 1,900 hectares in size by the B.C. Wildfire Service, has also prompted an evacuation order and two evacuation alerts in the area.
According to the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, people in the impacted area are at risk and should be prepared to immediately leave the area. They are also urged to follow instructions from their local government or First Nation.
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The Evacuation Order is in effect for the addressed property at 6705 Juliet Dr., with an evacuation alert set for the community of Brookmere and:
- All properties on Murray Lake and Maka-Murray FSR
- All properties along the Coquihalla Highway south of the Larson Hill exit (Exit 250) to the southern TNRD border at the Britton Creek Rest Area; and
- All areas as outlined in an issued map
“This evacuation alert is in place to prepare you to evacuate your premises or property should it be found necessary,” said the Thompson-Nicola Regional District. “Residents will be given as much advance notice as possible prior to an evacuation order. However, you may receive limited notice due to changing conditions.”
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DriveBC is also alerting travellers that Highway 5, also known as the Coquihalla Highway, is closed between Exit 183: Othello Rd and Exit 286: Merritt.
Commuters are asked to use Highway 1 or Highway 3 as alternate routes, though commercial vehicles are not permitted on Highway 8.
En route to Lytton, I wasn’t sure which #BCwildfire this #pyrocumulus was associated to… Now certain this is from the #MineCreekWildfire—44km NE of #HopeBC.
Now #BChwy5 / #Coquihalla Hwy closed as a result. The wildfire caused by lightning. Stay tuned to @DriveBC#BCstorm #BCwx pic.twitter.com/T4xfiTDzxC— Ryan Voutilainen 🇨🇦🇫🇮 (@RyanVoutilainen) September 4, 2025
According to the B.C. Wildfire Dashboard, there are over 150 active wildfires in the province with nine started in the last 24 hours.
Wildfire smoke has also settled over Vancouver, making it number one on IQAir’s list of the most polluted major cities in the world on Wednesday.