Burns Lake, B.C. - The Northwest Fire Centre has pulled ground crews off of fire lines because of strong wind that hit the area late Wednesday.

Fire information officer Kim Steinbart says firefighting efforts will continue from the air but, until the fire behaviour calms down, firefighters will sit on the sidelines. Steinbart says that’s in the hands of Mother Nature.

The Regional District of Bulkley Nechako extended evacuation orders and alerts because of the growing Chisholm and Binta Lake wildfires near Houston and Fraser Lake. RDBN Chair Eileen Benedict says the Chisholm fire south of Houston has forced 92 families from their homes while another 123 residences are on alert. The Binta Lake fire south of Fraser Lake has 36 families under evacuation order and 65 homes on alert. Benedict is urging affected residents to contact one of the three emergency reception centres in Burns Lake, Fraser Lake, or Houston saying it’s the only way officials know who has left the area and who’s still there.

The Regional District and the BC Forest Service have set up a series of meetings for residents in Houston later this morning, Francois Lake tonight at the Community Hall, and the Fraser Lake Arena tomorrow. The evening meetings start at 7 p.m.

Residents in the Lakes District aren’t the only ones being hit hard by the fire activity. Industry has felt the pinch as well. On Tuesday, Imperial Metals was forced to shut down mining and milling operations at the Huckleberry Mine southwest of Houston when fires threatened the access road, leaving only a maintenance crew at the site. And, as reported yesterday, Canfor pulled its crews from the bush near Vanderhoof and Houston as a precaution.

The BC Forests and Range Ministry took the extraordinary step of blocking access to areas south of Highway 16 east, covering all regions from Walcott, including Houston, Burns Lake, and to Fraser Lake. The order prohibits access to the Binta Cheslatta Forest Service Road area unless you have written authorization or it is for travel to or from a residence in the affected area. Disobeying the order can result in a fine of up to $5000 or jail time.