Cooler temperatures and higher relativity on the weekend helped 350 firefighters tackle the eight wildfires of note in the Prince George area, according to bcwildfire.ca.
In the Prince George Fire Centre, these were at 22km Tenakihi, Euchiniko Lakes, Forres Mountain, Mount McAllister, Mugaha, Red Deer Creek, Salmon Lake and Valley south of Morfee Lake.
More crews from across Canada arrived Sunday to help give relief to crews battling the blazes.
In the 22 km Tenakihi, about 50 kms west of Williston Lake, between the Mesilinka River and Tenakihi Creek the fire has grown from 22,000 hectares to 41,000 hectares and was discovered on July 8. The fire, caused by lightning, is very active and expected to grow.
In Euchiniko Lakes, 120 km west of Quesnel, 10,500 hectares are involved. It is an active fire and was discovered July 8. Crews have made good progress tight lining the western flanks of the fire and cooler temperatures have helped with supression efforts. The fire is five per cent contained and has crossed the 4000 road. Firefighters and heavy equipment are continuing to establish contingency lines and primary guard, burn off fuel where conditions are good, and commence with mop-up. The fire was also caused by lightning.
The fire is currently on the border between the Prince George Fire Centre and the Cariboo Fire Centre with all resources are being co-ordinated through the Prince George Fire Centre.
These resources include 120 firefighters, six helicopters and 30 pieces of heavy equipment.
Additional Incident Management Team personnel have been brought in to assist with planning and operations.
Helicopters are continuing to bucket the fire to support ground crews. Crews are working on establishing contingency lines, continue establishing primary guards with equipment, and burn off fuels where conditions allow.
The Forres Mountain fire, 50 km Northwest of Williston Lake, was discovered on June 2 and engulfs 20,000 hectares. This fire was caused by lightning and current weather conditions have decreased fire activity at this time.
Because of the potential danger to life and health, the Peace River Regional District has issued an evacuation alert for rural residents west of Williston Lake and west of Finlay River, to Ingenika Arm, west following Ingenika River, north to Tucha Lake and northeast to where the Akie River meets the Finlay River.
Resources fighting this fire include10 firefighters and five helicopters.
The Mount McAllister fire, 56 km West of Chetwynd, began July 13 and covers 16,000 hectares. The objective for this fire is to protect life and property. If conditions permit, controlled burn off will be used to control the advancement of the fire. Structure Protection experts will be protecting infrastructure. The District of Hudson's Hope has rescinded their evacuation order but an alert remains in place.
The Peace River Regional District has ordered an evacuation alert for residents in the community of Moberly Lake and surrounding area extending to the northernmost point of Boucher Lake Road, directly west to the Klin-Se-Za protected area, north along Carbon Creek to the southern edge of Williston Lake directly east to the boundary of Hudson's Hope.
The weather is co-operating, allowing crews to line-locate and begin dozer guard construction. Crews will be working swing shifts to maximize production.
Resources allotted to this fire include 42 firefighters, seven helicopters and 30 pieces of heavy equipment.
The Mugaha fire, eight km up Mugaha Creek, began July 12 and covers about 185 hectares. The fire was caused by lightning.
Rain in the area has brought the entire fire down to rank 1 behaviour and is 80 per cent contained.
Fifty firefighters and three helicopters are being used. Heavy equipment have completed their objectives and crews are now working on steeper slopes to build guard on the west end of the fire to prevent it from moving back down the Mugaha drainage. Progress is going well and winds are continuing to push the fire east.
The Red Deer Creek fire, 61 km Southeast of Tumbler Ridge, was discovered July 6, and covers about 34,827 hectares. It is an active fire and was caused by lightning. This fire is located within British Columbia and Alberta.
Cooler temperatures and high relative humidity are providing safer conditions for firefighters to work.
Crews continue to build guard and are working on mopping up the fire perimeter to 50 feet of containment lines.
The objective is to hold the fire south of the Heritage Highway in British Columbia and west of the Two Lakes Road in Alberta.
There are oil and gas values in the vicinity of this fire. Currently structural protection units have been set up on three oil and gas camps and four bridges.
An evacuation order is in effect, affecting 200 people. Three oil and gas work camps have been evacuated. The Alberta Incident Management Team has taken over this fire.
Resources on both Alberta and B.C. sides include 81 firefighters, 21 helicopters, 59 heavy equipment.
The Salmon Lake fire, 37 km northeast of Tezzeron Lake, covers about 1,440 hectares and was caused by lightning. There are cabins near the fire but there are no residents within the cabins. Crews and aircraft are working to protect the property.
The crews have been making good progress with burnoff procedures on the northeast side and south side. The fire has received rain in the past 24 hours which has allowed for minimal fire activity and allowed crews to continue to make good progress.
Resources include 20 firefighters and one helicopter with a type 2 incident management team is in place.
In Valley south of Morfee Lake, six km east of Mackenzie, the fire was discovered July 12 and covers about 180 hectares. It's active with 80 per cent contained. Rain in the area has brought the fire down to rank 1 behaviour.
Resources: 20 firefighters and two helicopters.
Heavy equipment have completed their objectives and are working to build hand guard on the steeper slopes.
