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Firefighters are working furiously to contain a huge wildfire fire that has closed the Alaska Highway between northern B.C. and Yukon.

The fire at the junction of the Liard and Smith Rivers has ballooned to 100 square kilometres since it was discovered on Monday and fire officials say it's only contained on the south side of the highway.

The blaze has forced the evacuation of 60 people in the communities of Fireside, Coal River and the Muddy River Indian Reserve and closed the highway between Fort Nelson, B.C. and Watson Lake, Yukon.

Fire officials said on Thursday that the blaze is showing extreme fire behaviour and is being tackled by 80 firefighters, four helicopters and four pieces of heavy equipment.

Meanwhile, a forest fire in southern B.C. west of Lillooet now covers about 15 square kilometres between Tyaughton and Gun lakes.

Residents around Tyaughton Lake were evacuated on Wednesday as the flames advanced and the nearby communities of Gold Bridge, Bralorne and Gun Lake remain on evacuation alert.

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