Travellers who plan on on visiting the Eskal region southeast of Fort Nelson might be prohibited from reaching their destination.
A wildfire that has grown to 2,400 hectares that started Thursday is burning out of control and the Prince George Fire Centre has issued a public access restriction. If conditions allow, firefighting crews plan to start small fires to reduce the amount of flammable material and reduce the fire risk.
Until Sept. 30, of if the order is lifted, industry workers will have only limited access to a 40,000-hectare area from the start of Eskal Road north of the Fort Nelson River to the mouth of the Sikanni Chief River, also covering the area west of the Fort Nelson River.
In anticipation of hazardous forest conditions, 21 firefighters from the Yukon, arrived in Williams Lake on Saturday. An additional 20 firefighters and an firefighting agency representative were due to arrive in Abbotsford on Sunday, while 35 firefighters and one agency employee from Ontario are destined to arrive Sunday in Kamloops.
Most of the province is rated a high risk for fire danger, with many areas considered extreme danger level. Hot and dry conditions are expected for the entire weekend, with a risk of thunderstorm activity.
For a map of the closed area go to: http://bcwildfire.ca/ftp/!Project/WildfireNews/8172012~50419_Closure%20Area%20Aug17.pdf.
For more information on forest fires in the province, go to: www.bcwildfire.ca. Citizen readers who spot a wildfire, smoke, or an unattended campfire, should call *5555 on a cell phone or toll-free at 1-800-663-5555.
