CHILLIWACK — The Coquihalla Highway, a key route to and from British Columbia's Lower Mainland, has reopened two days after it was jumped by a wind-fuelled wildfire.
The Transportation Ministry says in a statement that the fire is still burning along the highway between Hope and Merritt and drivers can expect the route to close again with little notice.
It says drivers are advised not to stop in the fire zone and that there will be intermittent lane closures as crews assess and repair roadside damage.
The ministry says cellphone coverage has also been affected by the fire with no coverage along some parts of the route, and because the wildlife fences have been burned, there may also be more animals on the road.
The Fraser Valley Regional District declared a state of local emergency because of the blaze, known as the Mine Creek wildfire, and issued evacuation orders for the Coquihalla Lakes Lodge and the Coquihalla Summit Snowmobile Club.
The BC Wildfire Service says an incoming weather system will bring little rain but an increased chance of lightning and gust winds, raising the risk of more wildfires.
There are about 140 active wildfires burning in the province and more than 50 of them are out of control.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 5, 2025.
The Canadian Press
