Prince George, B.C. – Two wildfires – one to the north of  the District of Mackenzie and one to the east – have led to a "dire" situation according to mayor Stephanie Killam.

She says less rain in June has  combined with hot and dry conditions and has "people around town concerned."

Killam adds air quality is poor but asks members of the community "not to panic" and to make sure to get their information from the proper sources.

Fire Information Officer Jill Kelsh with the Prince George Fire Centre says the fire to the east of the District covers 80 hectares while the fire to the north is 800 hectares but is "luckily" moving east yet zero percent contained.

There are eight fires burning in the PG zone at this time including the Euchiniko Lakes area fire which Kelsh says remains "very active" and has grown to 2,000 hectares and is zero percent contained.

The Cariboo Regional District issued an evacuation order due to the blaze last night which Kelsh says remains in effect and is affecting around 70 people.

Another fire near Tumbler Ridge covers 3,800 hectares but is now 30 percent contained and is being tended to by 120 firefighters and 31 pieces of equipment.

The Soda Creek fire in Williams Lake has been reduced to 30 hectares and fire crews have set up a contained retardant line and no structures have been threatened.

On the bright side Kelsh says the Buckhorn fire near Prince George which broke out Friday is now 100 percent contained and is now in the mop-up stage.

To date provincially  there have been 477 wildfires with the majority – 154 – taking place in the PG Fire Centre.