CASTLEGAR – Over the long weekend the Southeast Fire Centre has seen an increase in lightning-caused fire activity. Ground crews and aviation resources are responding to new incidents throughout the fire centre, though there is a concentration of high elevation targets located in the West Kootenays. At this time, none of these wildfires are threatening structures or infrastructure.
Ground crews that are being deployed to new wildfires include Initial Attack, Rappel, and Unit Crews. For more information on these crew types and how they work is available here.
Airtankers, including skimmers, and helicopters are working together to cool and slow fire growth ahead of ground crews; as well as delivering personnel and equipment on priority areas of fires as required. Aviation resources will be using bodies of water in and around the west kootenay region. The public is asked to be vigilant of their surroundings and move out of the way of aircraft while they are working.
Visible wildfires in the Kootenay Lake Zone include:
Sandy Creek Wildfire (N72624)
Originated approximately seven kilometres southwest of Nelson on the South side of the Kootenay River. Is it estimated at 0.015 hectares in size.
West Kokanee Creek Wildfire (N72615)
Originated approximately 15 kilometres northeast of Nelson on the North side of the Kootenay River. It is estimated at 50 hectares in size.
Kokanee Creek Wildfire (N72620)
Originated approximately 18 kilometres northeast of Nelson on the North side of the Kootenay River. It is estimated at 0.1 hectares in size.
Redfish Creek Wildfire (N72611)
Originated approximately 24 kilometres north of Nelson on the North side of the Kootenay River. It is estimated at 0.01 hectares in size.
LaFrance Creek Wildfire (N72609)
Originated approximately 13.5 kilometres southeast of Crawford Bay on the East side of Kootenay Lake. It is estimated at 0.3 hectares in size.
For information on wildfires in the Southeast, visit the BC Wildfire Map and click on individual fires for details, here.
Category 1 campfires, Category 2 and Category 3 open fires remain prohibited. We would like to remind everyone to be responsible with any activity that could potentially create a wildfire. Human-caused wildfires are fully preventable and unnecessarily divert firefighting resources from naturally occurring wildfires.
To report a wildfire call 1-800-663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cell phone. For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air-quality advisories, visit our webpage.
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Contact:
Southeast Fire Centre Information Team
BC Wildfire Service | Southeast Fire Centre
BCWS.SEFCInformationOfficer@gov.bc.ca
250 318-7715