A historic wooden bridge was engulfed by fire and collapsed in British Columbia.

Red Bridge, the eighty-eight-year-old, 400-metre structure, was destroyed by fire and plunged into the South Thompson River on September 19.

Footage captured by onlooker Nevada Woods shows huge flames and burning embers wrecking the road bridge, with visible smoke rising into the air.

The filmer said: 'I looked out my window and saw smoke plumes. You could see a little bit of an orange hue.'

Officials are currently investigating the cause of the fire.

Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson said: 'This bridge was more than a crossing; it was a link between communities, a part of our history.'

For the safety of the public, the city closed areas near the river, as they fear that potential hazards from the debris could affect the locals and the environment.

One of the community leaders, Tkemlups te Secwepemc Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir, said: 'This loss brings many emotions, critical conversations, and new challenges.'

The Red Bridge, built in 1936, is a wooden Howe truss road bridge that symbolises evolution.