Two families on Horsefly Lake near Cougar Bay self-evacuated Tuesday evening due to the threat of a growing wildfire.
Al Bush said he and his wife packed their dogs, photographs and valuables and made sure their elderly neighbours were out before leaving their seasonal home for fear of being trapped by the Viewland Creek wildfire, fanned by a strong wind and lightning storm that swept through the region during the dinner hour.
“It stretches for two or three kilometres wide at the top,” said Bush late Tuesday evening from Williams Lake of the fire, located between Viewland Mountain and Horsefly Lake.
“It’s big. It just blew up from the wind storm.”
Bush said earlier in the day it looked like the BC Wildfire Service crews had made good progress on the fires, which were caused by lightning.
“The bombers were there and it looked like they had it out but the storm fanned everything. We could see it candling over the mountain.”
Bush said he clocked the winds at 20 mph blowing away from his home for about a half hour before it shifted and aimed straight for their home.
“That’s when we decided to get out of there, because we have to drive toward the fire to get out.”
Bush said as they were leaving the winds began to die down and the fire slowed.
He also saw a bull dozer on the road headed toward the fire.
“We’re hopeful its not going to come any further.”
Original story:
Horsefly and Quesnel Lake areas saw more than a dozen new lightning-caused fires start up Tuesday, July 31.
The BC Wildfire Service map shows a line of new starts between the two large lakes starting at Spirit Isle, Lemon Lake Forest Service Road, Horsefly Mountain, Viewland Creek, Horsefly Lake, Horn Bluff, two miles north of Hen Ingram Lake, Hen Ingram Forest Service Road, two kilometres South Quartz Mountain, Bouldary Creek Road, three kilometres East Warttig Lake, Lynx Creek, two kilometres south of Summit Creek, Blue Lead Creek, Stranger Lake and the junction at Quesnel Lake.
All of those fires are listed as being less than a hectare in size, with the exception of the South Quartz Mountain fire which is listed as 20 hectares. That fire is visble to boaters on the east arm of Quesnel Lake.
Out west, there is a 30 hectare fire burning in the Sheep Range Park. That fire is listed as new, and lightning-caused.
There are two other new fires in that area listed as under a hectare in size; one on the 2000 Road, and the other at the south end of the Chilcotin River.
Related: VIDEO: Emergency crews respond to lightning-caused fires around Williams Lake Monday night
