Extremely poor visibility is hampering the efforts of more than 100 firefighters battling a raging wildfire near Slocan City in B.C.'s southern Interior, as fire officials issued more evacuation alerts.

Extremely poor visibility due to smoke is hampering firefighting efforts in the Slocan Valley.
(CBC)

The Springer Creek fire had grown to 800 hectares as of Thursday evening. Firefighters used machinery to clear land and build a firebreak.

Andrew Voigt, a squad supervisor for the Valhalla fire crew, told CBC News a lot of smoke coming from the fire has settled in the area, causing extremely poor visibility.

"Our big challenge is visibility. Safety-wise, we need to be able to see for our helicopters to fly in," he said.

Meanwhile, BC Hydro restored power Thursday to about 3,000 people in communities in the southern Interior west of Kelowna who lost their electricity because a fire was burning near a transmission line.

Fire officials also issued dozens more evacuation alerts in three Interior communities.

Sharon Duplessis, who owns the Plum Hollow campground in the Needles area, told CBC News that she and 17 of her neighbours have received evacuation alert notices.

"There's quite a lot of smoke in the air," she said. "I can't see any flames from where I am, but I'm only about two kilometres from the fire."

Firefighters plan their fight against a blaze in B.C.'s southern Interior.
(CBC)

Three homes were ordered evacuated on Wednesday, when the Springer Creek fire came within 100 metres of a structure.

Another four homes in the rural community of Argenta, on Kootenay Lake, remained under evacuation alert on Thursday, threatened by the Hamil Creek fire.

On Wednesday, a major fire burning near the Arrow and Slocan Lakes caused the power outage in Burton, Nakusp, Needles and New Denver.