The Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) is monitoring the risk of rockfall as the Three Valley Lake wildfire creeps toward the Three Valley Lake Chateau.
BC Wildfire Service said on Saturday (July 24) that the wildfire — which is measured at 60 hectares in size — has not grown and is still being monitored. Evacuation orders are still in effect, primarily for the Three Valley Lake Chateau and a number of other properties in the area.
At this point, the fire is located on the other side of the railway tracks from the Chateau. BC Wildfire has structural protection measures in place around the iconic destination, and CP Rail is using a helicopter to monitor and protect the railway line.
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“There is some concern about the fire coming along the cliff face above the Chateau and just coming too close to the Chateau, as well as dislodging some rock and the risk of rockfall becoming greater because of that fire movement,” said Derek Sutherland, the emergency operations director for CSRD, in a video posted on Friday.
According to Sutherland, the fire is not yet above the cliff, but BC Wildfire is expecting it to move in that direction.
“The Chateau is very busy in the summertime and we want them to get back to normal as soon as they possibly can,” he said.
The nearby Wap Creek fire is still burning out of control and remains at 281 hectares in size. BC Wildfire continues to monitor it.
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