The Ross Moore wildfire near Kamloops has remained steady overnight at a size of 6,245 hectares.
The “out of control” blaze is considered to be a wildfire of note by the BC Wildfire Service due to its size, behaviour and close proximity to the city of Kamloops.
A cold front passage through the area today (August 7) has the potential to cause erratic winds and increased fire behaviour in addition to potential thunder and lightning.
On August 6, a planned aerial ignition was conducted on the west flank of the blaze to hold the fire at a guard and burn fuel that would have otherwise helped the wildfire to grow.
Evacuation alerts are in effect for homes south of Kamloops and in Lac Le Jeune.
Areas north and east of Lac Le Jeune are on Evacuation Order.
People considering a vacation at Lac Le Jeune provincial park,which is under an evacuation alert, are asked to reconsider and stay away from the area by the BC Wildfire Service.
It is believed that a lightning strike is what sparked the now ‘out of control’ blaze.
Crews first responded to the fire on July 21.
Now, 181 wildfire crew members are working to suppress the flames and establish a fuel-free perimeter. There are also 13 helicopters and heavy equipment dispatched to the fire.
A team to focus on structure protection has also been dispatched along with an incident management team.
The eastern flank of the blaze has been particularly active over the weekend and a further increase in wildfire activity is expected. Dry fuels, low humidity, hot temperatures and increasing instability may bring increased smoke plumes and columns.
@Rangers_mom
Jacqueline.Gelineau@kelownacapnews.com
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