The Blackwater River Fire is still zero per cent contained while the Narcosli Creek remains 50 per cent contained and 90 per cent guarded, as of 10:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, Aug. 15.
One of two large fires burning just west of the Blackwater River Fire has now been upgraded to a Wildfire of Note. The North Baezaeko Fire was listed at 2,500 hectares yesterday after growing from 1,000 hectares from the day before. It is 85 kilometres west of Quesnel and northwest of the community of Nazko.
Today, the size remains listed at 2,500 hectares. A second fire, which appears to be approximately two kilometres away from the new Fire of Note, is also listed at 370 hectares.
The Narcosli Creek Fire, located 31 kilometres southwest of Quesnel, has gained one piece of heavy equipment since yesterday, and gone from 104 firefighters on site to 99. There are still five helicopters on site.
Operations yesterday to burn unburned fuels on the northern flank of the fire were successful, and 25 per cent of a wet guard is now in place around the southern flank. Today, heavy equipment will be focused on completing the machine guard around the north eastern flank of the fire and to complete any unguarded areas around the fire’s perimeter. It is still listed by the BC Wildfire website as 3,400 hectares in size.
If the weather permits, controlled burn operations will also be used to burn any unburned fuels around the guard.
READ MORE: BC declares state of emergency as more than 560 wildfires rage
The Blackwater River Fire, located 72 kilometres west of Quesnel, remains listed at 4,519 hectares in size and zero per cent contained. The are now 23 firefighters on site, which is up from 17 firefighters yesterday. Additionally, there are now four helicopters (up from one yesterday) and seven pieces of heavy equipment (up from six yesterday) on site.
The Shag Creek Fire, located west of Shag Creek and north of Itcha Ilgachuz Provincial Park is now listed at 9,300 hectares in size and zero per cent contained. Crews were removed from the fire last week as it grew to aggressive for them to work safely.
Just north of the Cariboo, in the Prince George Fire Centre, the Chutanli Lake Fire, located 11 kilometres north east of Tatelkuz Lake, continues to grow. According to the BC Wildfire Service Map, the fire has grown east into the Cariboo region. It is now listed as 9,800 hectares and out of control. There were 29 firefighters and 17 heavy equipment on this fire as of 1 p.m. yesterday.
As of 11:30 a.m. Aug. 15, evacuation orders and alerts remain in effect for all of these fires, although one alert was reduced last night (Aug. 14), with properties north of Quesnel taken off alert.
READ MORE: CRD reduces evacuation alert for communities north of Quesnel
An incident management team will also be established in the North Cariboo by the end of the week, according to the Cariboo Fire Centre. It will be set up at Sylvia’s Cafe on Nazko Road.
“This is good news for the entire North Cariboo as it will ensure better information is gathered and communicated, and appropriate resources are put to each of the fires in the area. It’s important to note that the fires in Nazko and Blackwater are starting to bump up against last year’s burned areas, which will rob them of fuel without the need for additional resources,” commented Mayor Simpson in a Facebook post.
More information will be added as it is provided by the BC Wildfire Service
READ MORE: Update on wildfires in the Cariboo, Aug. 14
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