Orange diamonds represent two small wildfires west of Grand Forks, with the third representing another wildfire east of Christina Lake. Map: B.C. Wildfire Dashboard

Wildfires reported near Grand Forks after overnight lightning storm

The fires are burning at around 100 square metres as of Wednesday morning, Aug. 4

  • Aug. 4, 2021 12:00 a.m.

Overnight lightning strikes sparked three small wildfires to the west and east of Grand Forks, according to the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS)

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Two fires were reported Wednesday, Aug. 4, in the Gibbs Creek area, around 1 kilometre west of Highway 3 from the nearest intersection at Danshin Village Road. Both were burning “out of control” within an estimated 100 metres of each other as of midday, according to Kim Wright, spokesperson for the BCWS’s Southeast Fire Centre.

A third fire, also reported Wednesday, is under control on a mountainous stretch of Santa Rosa Road, around three kilometres southeast of Christina Lake, Wright said.

Helicopters contracted by BCWS dumped water on all three fires.

Eight BCWS fire fighters are fighting the Gibbs Creek wildfires. Crews were making good headway on both fires by around 1:30 p.m., according to James Katasonoff, Wildfire Officer with the Boundary Fire Zone.

The fires don’t pose a risk to people or property in the surrounding area, he told The Gazette.

BCWS is urging people to immediately report wildfires to the service’s 24-hr hotline at 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 from a cell phone.


 

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Grand Forks Gazette