The Narcosli Creek Wildfire is now listed at 3,788 hectares in size, while the Blackwater River Fire has grown to 4,519 hectares as of 10:00 a.m. this morning (Monday, Aug. 13).
The Narcosli Creek Fire is now listed on the BC Wildfire Service website as 30 per cent contained, with a fire guard around 80 per cent of the fire. There are 104 firefighters, five helicopters and 10 pieces of heavy equipment on site. The fire is approximately 31 kilometres south west of Quesnel.
The BC Wildfire Service was unable to map the size of the fire for much of the weekend, while it remained listed as an estimated 3,100 hectares until this morning.
READ MORE: Crews work to contain Narcosli Creek Fire, Blackwater River Fire increases in size
In a post on Facebook, Bob Simpson, the mayor of Quesnel, wrote, “there has been no change in status with the respect to the Narcosli Creek Fire, which is good news.” Simpson added that he would post updates as he got them, but that he would wait until after his evening briefing to post again if nothing changed. He shared the post at 9:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 13.
The south west Narcosli Creek area remains on evacuation order, while the area just south west of it is under alert. The north Narcosli Creek area and West Quesnel have been under evacuation alert since Friday, while properties west of Highway 97 in the communities of Nazko, Baker Creek, Blackwater, Ten Mile Lake, Cinema, Moose Heights and Strathnaver were put on alert on Saturday.
READ MORE: Four evacuation orders, seven alerts currently in place within Cariboo Fire Centre Aug. 12
Approximately 72 kilometres west of Quesnel, the Blackwater River Fire remains zero per cent contained. It increased to 4,519 hectares this morning (Aug. 13) from 3,755 hectares yesterday.
Ground crews are working to establish a guard on the east flank of the fire today, with eight firefighters on site, one helicopter and six pieces of heavy equipment.
The other Wildfire of Note in the Quesnel Fire Zone, the Shag Creek Fire, has increased in size to 8,410 hectares, from 7,000 hectares. The fire is located north of Itcha Ilgachuz Park. It is currently listed as zero per cent contained, and the Cariboo Fire Centre says it is monitoring the fire closely.
An evacuation order is in effect for properties near the fire.
heather.norman@quesnelobserver.comLike us on Facebook
