After blowing up to over 1,250 hectares in only a few days, wildfire crews are starting to make some progress on the Cherry Lake fire south of Cranbrook.
As of Sunday afternoon, the blaze is 10 per cent contained, with 53 firefighters, eight helicopters and seven pieces of heavy equipment tackling the job.
The region experienced 0.2 millimetres of rain on Sunday and is expecting to get more, according to Karlie Shaughnessy, a fire information officer with the Southeast Fire Centre.
“They’re expecting more rain this afternoon and over the next few days, so that’s going help aid suppression efforts greatly,” she said.
“…There was a bit of high wind yesterday [Saturday], I think they were recording up to 40 kph, but the fire didn’t advance any farther than it already has, so it just burned within itself.”
Though the lightning-caused fire has grown immensely since discovery 35 kilometres south of Cranbrook on Tuesday, Aug. 25, it is not threatening any structures or communities.
However, a public access restriction has been issued for the Caven, Wickman, Larch, Bloom, Teepee and Teepee / Jim Creek Forest Service Road due to the wildfire burning by Cherry Lake. This restriction takes effect immediately and will remain in force until the public is otherwise notified.
Specific boundaries include:
•Caven Creek Forest Service Road network starting at kilometre 27 and also including Wickman Creek FSR, Larch Creek FSR, and Bloom Creek FSR to kilometre 51.
•Teepee Jim Creek Forest Service Road starting at kilometre 34 on Teepee Creek Forest Service Road.
To see a map of the restricted roads and area, click here.
Elsewhere in the region, fire crews responded to a small fire just south of Moyie on Saturday, when a windstorm took out a power pole that ignited a small blaze.
Shaughnessy noted that an initial attack crew and a helicopter were dispatched and quickly extinguished the fire.
Highway 3/95 was briefly shut down by RCMP in the afternoon while crews tackled the fire, which only grew to 0.4 hectares before being contained and suppressed.
