A popular hiking spot has been closed by a nearby wildfire.
Idaho Peak, which overlooks New Denver and Silverton, has been placed on an area restriction by the Southeast Fire Centre because of its proximity to the Blacktail Mountain wildfire in Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park.
The 1,000-hectare fire is approximately eight kilometres southeast of Silverton.
Southeast Fire Centre information officer Ashley Davidoff said although the fire isn’t burning on Idaho Peak, the restriction was put in place proactively.
“Obviously wildfires are pretty dynamic so things can shift but it will remain in place until the public is otherwise notified and when it becomes safe for the general public to be in that area again,” said Davidoff.
There are 165 active fires in the Southeast Fire Centre, which encompasses the Kootenays and north of Revelstoke into the Columbia Mountains. Nineteen of those were fires were discovered Sunday.
Related: Sunday update: dozens of new fires discovered yesterday in West, East Kootenay
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