Cooler temperatures have helped the firefighting efforts of the Two Mile Fire near Sicamous.
The Shuswap Emergency Program posted on its Facebook page Sunday, Aug. 1., that success was being made in directing the fire uphill and away from the District of Sicamous.
However, heavy fuel loads continue to be a challenge for firefighting.
“There continues to be issues with burning debris falling onto Highway 97A,” said SEP on its page. “As a result, it is still not safe to open to the travelling public.”
SEP and the BC Wildfire Service say the cooler temperatures and precipitation Sunday may result in a slight reprieve in fire behaviour of the White Rock Lake Fire near Westwold over the next 48 hours.
Crews will be working to capitalize on any gains that can be made due to the favourable weather conditions, but there are also concerns about gusty winds associated with the current weather system that could negatively affect fire growth. There are approximately 18 kilometres of active fire fronts on this blaze now estimated at 32,000 hectares in size, and evacuation orders and alerts issued earlier remain in effect.
Personnel are remaining on-site through the night to provide structure protection. Structure protection specialists continue to assess critical infrastructure and properties from Monte Lake towards the Falkland Corridor via Highway 97.
At the Hunakwa Lake Fire near Seymour Arm, the majority of the fire continues to grow to the east, away from Seymour Arm and any structures. Smoky conditions are impacting the ability of BCWS to map the fire and provide for the safety of ground firefighters.
Industry partners including Canoe Forest Products and Louisiana Pacific are working to tie existing fireguard areas together. This will reinforce protections for the community.
The Three Valley Lake Fire near Three Valley Gap remains very visible from the Trans-Canada Highway and the priority is to work to prevent the fire from spreading along the highway and CP Rail corridor.
The Evacuation Order and Alert status is being re-evaluated regularly.
READ MORE: Crazy Creek Gorge FSR wildfire near Sicamous grows
