Area charred by the Mount Scatchard wildfire south of Chase through Monday. Fire torched 35 hectares before BC Wildfire declared it "being held" as of Tuesday evening/via Anne Steenhuysen Photography

*Editor’s Note: This is an update to an original story which was published late in the day on July 1st, 2025.  Special thanks to the local photographers who have been able to provide an amazing snapshot of events taking place within your community.  Thank you

Update June 2nd, 2025, 12:30pm: 

Evacuees from the Neskonlith Band are now being allowed to return home after the Mount Scatchard wildfire was downgraded to an evacuation alert today.

Chief Irvin Wai says crews are continuing mop-up efforts.

He says while the fire isn’t fully out, the blaze is “being held” and closely monitored.

The 87 individuals the Band registered as evacuees began returning Wednesday under an evacuation alert, meaning re-evacuation is still possible if conditions worsen.

“Everybody’s excited…they can return home and hopefully get back to some normalcy of their lives,” Chief Wai in conversation with Radion NL shortly after the decision to lift the evacuation order on Wednesday was decided upon.  “The beast isn’t completely out, but we are keeping it down on the ground.”

Wai also took time to praise the strong regional response, providing his personal and band thanks to the Village of Chase, as well as their Indigenous and non-Indigenous neighbors throughout the TransCanada corridor.

“It was a phenomenal display of community working together,” marveled Wai.

“The crews attacked the mountain with vigor—with their planes—and the men and women walking up the hillside in 40-degree heat… my hats go off to all of them.”

While no properties were damaged and everyone made it out safely, Wai suggests there will still be lessons to take from the experience, while also making sure the Band puts its mind toward finishing off critical local projects which are already underway.

“We’re building infrastructure, and our new council building wasn’t quite ready yet, noted Wai.  “But that’s now a priority — having permanent equipment, communication tools, and emergency planning resources all in one place.”

The cause of the fire remains unconfirmed, though early reports suggest it may have started after a truck carrying hay caught fire.

Original:  July 1st, 2025, 10:15pm

For members of the Neskonlith Band who were forced to wake up on the Canada Day holiday not in their own bed, the post-holiday news is expected to be much better for them Wednesday.

The BC Wildfire Service on Tuesday evening shifted the status of the Mount Scatchard fire south of Chase to “being held.”

This means crews don’t expect the fire to grow beyond its current perimeter, which had been holding at roughly 35 hectares throughout Canada Day.

It also means that 87 members of the Neskonlith Band who were forced out of their homes on Monday afternoon by the fast-moving fire should be headed home, provided the fire does not make any unexpected jumps overnight and into Wednesday.

“BC Wildfire crews have made excellent progress in containing the wildfire. Fire activity has significantly been reduced,” noted Neskonlith Indian Band Chief Irvin Wai in conversation with Radio NL on Tuesday evening.  “Crews have established control lines along Harper Road.”

Wai says if fire activity doesn’t become anymore threatening, he expects Band leadership will be in a position to lift the evacuation order for Neskonlith IR 2 sometime on Wednesday.

The Thompson Nicola Regional District also has a group of 9 properties under an evacuation alert in the area as well.

It’s expected that alert could be lifted at the same time as the Neskonlith Band’s evacuation orders, which are only done after final consultation with the BC Wildfire Service.

The fire did spread into Band territory very quickly on Monday as the blaze was in its initial stages, prompting Wai and the rest of the Neskonlith leadership to call for an evacuation as of 1pm, not long after the Mount Scatchard fire was taking hold.

However, he says no properties ever came under direct threat from the fire, saying every different group in the area stepped up to work together.

“I think it’s been a wonder comradery of them all coming together in our time of need,” said Wai.  “That shows the working together and reconciliation efforts are [doing] well in our communities here along the highway.”

Officials have not said what they believe may have set off the fire.

However, unconfirmed reports at the time suggested a truck carrying hay was the spark, after it somehow caught fire.