Video courtesy of Lori McCarvill
Update:
3:30 p.m.
Cariboo Fire Centre communication specialist Jessica Mack confirmed Wednesday afternoon that there have been seven new lighting-caused fires in the last 24 hours.
“All are considered to be started from lightning,” Mack said, but added there are no structures threatened at this time and crews are making great progress on all of the incidents.
The .01 fire discovered at Chimney Valley last evening is now fully extinguished, Mack said.
The Grain Creek wildfire near Quesnel Lake is estimated at two hectares in size and has six firefighters and air support in the form of air tankers and additional resources are en route.
The fire 12 kilometres east of 141 Mile is estimated at 0.1 hectares in size and has five firefighters on site with one water truck.
The Tasse Lake wildfire is 0.01 hectares and has three firefighters on site.
The Springhouse wildfire is 0.01 hectares and has four firefighters on site.
The Nazko Lake wildfire is five miles south of Nazko Lake Park and is estimated at 0.8 hectares in size.
There are five firefighters and a helicopter on site.
1:30 p.m.
A total of six new wildfires in the Cariboo Fire Centre, suspected to be the result of Tuesday evening’s lightning storm.
The BC Wildfire Service map shows the fires located 12 kilometres east of 141 Mile House, at the south end of Tasse Lake, five kilometres northeast of Tasse Lake, Forest Grove, Dog Creek Road, and Chimney Valley.
Original story:
A lightning storm that passed through the region Tuesday evening sparked four new fires in the Cariboo Fire Centre.
“We are still assessing them and don’t have any additional information,” said Jessica Mack, communications specialist with the Cariboo Fire Centre Wednesday morning.
The interactive map shows the four new fires are located at Tautri, Quesnel Lake, Chimney Valley and Forest Grove.
If weather conditions continue to be dry and hot, there is a high probability that a campfire ban will be implemented in the Cariboo-Chilcotin, Mack added, noting the present fire danger rating throughout most of the region is moderate with pockets of “high” in the western Chilcotin.
Substantial lightning activity across B.C. has led to a busy evening. 38 new wildfires began today – this number is expected to rise as more are discovered tomorrow. Urgent updates to be posted as needed overnight, otherwise new information to be provided tomorrow.
— BC Wildfire Service (@BCGovFireInfo) July 18, 2018
As of Wednesday there have been 81 wildfires in the Cariboo Fire Centre’s jurisdiction, with 24 being human-caused and 57 lightning-caused, she said.
There are two wildfires burning in Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, however they fall under the jurisdiction of the Coastal Fire Centre.
One is 15 hectares in size and is three miles southwest of Sigutlat Lake, the other is .02 hectares and is located near Tesla Lake. The suspected cause of both fires is lightning.
Presently a total of 63 of the CFC’s firefighters have been deployed to either Quebec or Ontario to assist with increased wildfire activity in those jurisdictions.
Mack said the BC Wildfire Service monitors the fire danger rating, forecasted weather conditions and fire situation provincially on a daily basis to determine when specific fire bans should be imposed.
Read more: Lightning strikes across B.C. Interior
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