A fast-spreading wildfire was seen near Lytton, British Columbia, covering hundreds of hectares, and a special air quality statement was issued for the area.

The Wildfire Service dashboard said Friday morning that the Nohomin Creek fire is estimated to be about 500 hectares.

The previous estimate, on Thursday evening, was 200 hectares. Officials say the fire is burning about 1.7 kilometers northwest of the village of Lytton.

The spark ignited nearly two weeks after the first anniversary of the deadly fire that destroyed most of the village.

Three buildings may have been lost in the fire, although these reports are unconfirmed, according to Bader Brush, the regional operations executive director for Emergency Management BC.

The cause of the fire is currently unknown. Environment Canada issued an air quality statement for the Fraser Valley regarding local smoke impacts from the fire.

The statement said areas from Lytton to Chwat are likely to be affected over the next 24 to 48 hours.

Wildfire smoke is a constantly changing mixture of particles and gases that contains many chemicals that can harm health." Evacuation orders and alerts were issued, ordering residents to leave their homes to many Indigenous communities on Thursday.

The Lytton First Nation said evacuation orders are in effect for Nahomeen IR 23, Papyum IRs 27 and 27A, Lytton IR 27B, Papyum Graveyard 27C, and Stryen IR 9 reserves.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District also issued an evacuation order and opened an emergency operations center Thursday night in response to the fire.

Those evacuated are asked to take Spencer Road North to Lillooet for departure.

Another 31 properties to the north were placed under evacuation alert, meaning residents in that area should prepare to leave if necessary.

The 2022 British Columbia wildfire season started much slower than the devastating 2021 season, but the wildfire service warned in its latest seasonal outlook earlier this month that conditions are expected to heat up and dry out in the coming weeks.

The fire that destroyed Lytton swept through the village on June 30, 2021, after three consecutive days of unseasonable heat.

The flames gave residents little time to escape, and two people died. After more than a year, Lytton remains under evacuation order, and community members still face uncertainty as they await a return to their homes.