UPDATE 2:46 p.m.

BC Wildfire Services has confirmed the fire is human-caused. It remains 3.29 hectares in size.

UPDATE 10:56 a.m.

The wildfire west of Merritt has grown to 3.29 hectares in size, as of 9:47 a.m. Wednesday morning.

It remains out of control.

Nicole Bonnett, fire information officer with Kamloops Fire Centre said Wednesday afternoon there are 16 personnel on site and one water tender attacking the blaze.

鈥淣ot all of the material burning is vegetative and there are a number of health and safety hazards,鈥� said Bonnett. 鈥淚t is not safe for crews to be working there.鈥� 

The crews are doing danger tree assessments, danger tree falling and building hand-guards and removing combustible fuels around areas of the fire perimeter where it is safe to work.

Original

A small wildfire was discovered west of Merritt, close to Highway 8 on Tuesday afternoon (Apr. 2).

The blaze was found at 5:44 p.m., three kilometres east of Petit Creek and is 0.1 hectares in size. However, it is still deemed out of control.

BC Wildfire Service last updated the fire at 9:18 p.m. Tuesday night.

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