AKIPRESS.COM - An estimated 14,000 people have been driven from their homes by the wildfires raging across B.C. province, Canada, and thousands more are preparing to flee at a moment's notice.

On Monday evening, the entire city of Williams Lake, one of several communities in the province's Interior where evacuees have taken refuge, was placed on evacuation alert over concerns about a 20-square-kilometre blaze burning nearby, News Vancouver reports. 

That's left some evacuees facing a second or even third hurried escape since the wildfire situation ramped up significantly last week. Gary Nurmi and Janice Mitchell have already been forced to leave 150 Mile House and Deep Creek.

"Hopefully it'll clear up and we can go back home," said Nurmi. "But there's no power at home."

Williams Lake officials said the evacuation alert was prompted by a weather forecast warning the flames could be fanned directly toward the city on Wednesday.

Current road closures mean the best available evacuation route leads on a three hour drive north to Prince George.

There were 218 fires burning across the province as of Monday afternoon, though that number is said to be in constant flux. About 10 are threatening communities.