Nearly 100 firefighters are battling the Placer Mountain fire today, 36 kilometers southwest of Keremeos and 37 kilometers south of Princeton.
The fire is currently pegged at 2,336 hectares after it was remapped yesterday afternoon.
The fire’s increased behaviour this week forced the evacuation of Cathedral Lakes Lodge earlier Wednesday morning.
The BC Wildfire Service reports 96 firefighters, nine helicopters and 14 pieces of heavy equipment are on scene today.
“The Placer Mountain fire is a little bit better behaved,” says fire information officer Claire Allen, in comparison to the Snowy Mountain fire.
Related: Five homes evacuated due to increased activity at Snowy Mountain wildfire
“The fire’s current size estimate is reflective of the growth we saw on July 31 when we had very strong winds.”
Despite the Evacuation Order, Allen says they had a good day fighting the fire Wednesday.
“Yesterday the fire did not breach containment lines or the perimeter,” says Allen.
“Today crews are working to mop-up and secure areas where we have containment lines firmly in place and activity is a bit quieter.
“Our crews can go in about 100 feet from containment lines to extinguish hot spots and remove anything flammable that could cause the fire to cross the containment lines.”
Crews are doing that work today on the north, east and south flanks.
“On the west flank, our crews have worked to tie that in to an existing wildfire burn scar, a historic wildfire in that area, so now it is fairly secure in that area,” says Allen.
“With an existing wildfire there from years past, there is not much available fuel for it to burn into.”
Temperatures are a little bit cooler today and winds have eased.
Allen adds they is some rain in the forecast they are hoping lands on the fire.
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