Area  in pinkish is under evacuation order,  while area in  yellow is under evacuation alert.

Prince George, B.C.- The evacuation area  near the China Nose fire has been expanded.

The blaze is now estimated to be 4,000 hectares in size.

The evacuation order was issued this morning, and covers the following areas:

• From Knockholt Landfill on Aitken Road south to Equity Mine Road East to Decker Maxan Road north to North Road across Highway 16 20218 North Road west to and including Montgomery Road
• From the municipal boundary of the District of Houston from 4728 Bellicini Rd and 4411 McKilligan Rd. east along the Highway 16 corridor to the Highway 16 intersection with Montgomery Rd. including all roads connected to Highway 16.
• East of the North Rd. Forest Service Rd. (FSR) and the Decker Maxan Rd. along Highway 16 corridor including all roads connected to Highway 16 to the municipal boundary of the Village of Burns Lake at Nash Road 1740 including Murphy Road and Miller Road.

A cold weather front moving in this evening will result in high winds up to 40km per hour making  fire fighting conditions even more difficult.

There was progress made on this fire yesterday and overnight. Today helicopters will bucket water onto the fire with potential air tanker support if conditions allow.   There are 71 firefighters, 11 helicopters and 14 pieces of heavy equipment working this fire.  Additional personnel are on the way.

Highway 16 is closed from 4 km east of Topley to 18 km west of Burns Lake until further notice. An alternate route is available via Colleymount/Morice Gravel roads except oversize (permitted) traffic