The Powers Creek fire southwest of Smithers is now being held.

Over the weekend, lightning likely sparked a blaze off Tatlow Road and for several days the fire was categorized as out of control.

An evacuation order for all dwellings and lands west of the Telkwa River, accessed via Tatlow Road, including local roads was put in place late Friday evening but that has since been downgraded to an evacuation alert.

Also, an Evacuation Alert remains in effect for all dwellings and lands south of Seymour Lake, accessed from Tatlow Road or Hudson Bay Mountain Road, including local roads and the ski colony.

As of Wednesday morning, the fire is holding at 34 hectares. BC Wildfire Service said this change in fire size which was previously reported as 23 hectares is a result of more accurate mapping, not an actual increase in size.

The evacuation reception centre at the Christian Reformed Church on Walnut is still open for those who might need it.

Mayor Gladys Atrill thanked everyone who has been helping to fight the fires at Tuesday night鈥檚 council meeting.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been pretty busy and a public thank you to all the folks who are volunteering, the professional staff, we have our staff who are working in the face of the emergencies, with the wildfires receiving evacuees and to all the paid professionals that have come to the aid of our community and our neighbors,鈥� she said.

鈥淎s we see the smoke plumes that are bursting on the horizon, and I鈥檝e spoken to the mayors of Houston and 亚洲天堂 Lake and points east and it鈥檚 pretty frightening as we all know, we got a taste of what that looks like. And I don鈥檛 know that we鈥檝e ever felt as personally grateful for all the work that we know goes on. But it鈥檚 the first time I think that I have felt it so personally and the gratitude is deep.鈥�