UPDATE:
A new fire has been added to the BC Wildfire Service’s map in the Cariboo, bringing the total number of fires in the Cariboo up to 13. The new fire is near Canim Lake.
The fire 8 kilometres south of Nazko Lake Park is currently at 46 hectartes, the largest fire in the region. Jessica Mack, the Fire Information Officer for the Cariboo, says the fire experienced growth “due to windy conditions, fuel, and fire behaviour that was experienced yesterday.”
She says that there was heavy equipment on the ground throughout the night, and the fire fighters were able to wrap the entire fire with a guard. Twenty-seven personnel remain on site today.
UPDATE:
More fires have been added to BC Wildfire Service’s map overnight on July 18.
Currently, there are twelve fires marked on the map: 12 kilometres east of 141 Mile House, north of Springhouse, east of Springhouse, eight kilometres south of Nazko Lake Park, Lang Lake, three kilometres south of Horsefly, one kilometre north of Elbow Lake, the south end of Tasse Lake, five km northeast of Tasse Lake, the Northern Arm of Quesnel Lake, Grain Creek, and near Mayford Lake.
According to the map, the largest of these fires is the fire south of Nazko Lake Park, which is currently listed at 46 hectares. The next largest is Grain Creek, listed at 3.5 hectares.
UPDATE:
The fire west of Kersley at Tautri has been removed from the map, after personnel found nothing in the area, says Cariboo Fire Centre Fire Information Officer Jessica Mack.
However, new fires were added to BCWildfireService’smap this afternoon (July 18), with locations of seven fires: 12 kilometres east of 141 Mile House, at the south end of Tasse Lake, five kilometres northeast of Tasse Lake, near Mayford Lake, Forest Grove, Dog Creek Road, and Chimney Valley.
ORIGINAL:
There are four new fires in the Cariboo this morning following lightning storms across B.C. last night (July 17). There’s also a new fire between Hixon and Prince George in the Prince George Fire Centre.
The fire closest to Quesnel is west of Kersley, and currently listed at just 0.1 hectares (ha). Jessica Mack, the Fire Information Officer for the Cariboo Fire Centre says that personnel are en route to the fire but none are currently on the ground as of 9:30 a.m.
To the north of Quesnel, there’s a lightning-caused fire between Hixon and Prince George, near Stoner. According to Amanda Reynolds, the Fire Information Officer for the Prince George Fire Centre, crews are being dispatched to the fire this morning, though it is only 0.009 ha currently. She says the area “did recieve precipitation with the lightning from last night.”
East of Quesnel, another fire is listed at Quesnel Lake. The map currently has it at 0.01 ha. Mack says personnel are currently en route.
Observer reader Shea Kadar shared this video, which he says was taken southeast of Quesnel, near Quesnel Forks.
One fire is near Williams Lake. This fire is listed in the Chimney Valley at 0.01 ha. The cause of the fire is listed as lightning. Mack says there are five firefighters and one officer on the ground there today.
The final fire is east of Williams Lake and 100 Mile House, near Forest Grove. It is also listed as 0.01 ha, though Mack says personnel are still en route and she cannot confirm the size.
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 told Black Press, noting the present fire danger rating throughout most of the region is moderate with pockets of “high” in the western Chilcotin.
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.
A total of 63 of the Cariboo Fire Centre’s firefighters have been deployed to either Quebec or Ontario to assist with increased wildfire activity in those jurisdictions.
– With files from Monica Lamb-Yorski
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