Wildfire smoke from fires west and southwest of Prince George that prompted health warnings from Environment Canada on Monday and Tuesday has cleared and city airshed is no longer hazy, but we’re not out of the woods yet.
Those fires are still burning and depending on which way the wind blows that smoke could resume affecting city residents.
A special air quality statement from Environment Canada is still in effect, warning of smoky conditions for the city of Prince George extending to the region along Highway 16 from Bednesti Lake to Upper Fraser (Willow River), and for Highway 97 from Hixon to the south end of McLeod Lake.
The UBC website firesmoke.ca is predicting a return to mild smoky conditions over the next 48 hours and is forecasting moderate smoke will drift to Prince George from fires in the Bulkley-Nechako fire zone, one of which resulted an evacuation order on Monday.
The Dorman Lake fire (G41285), believed to have been started by a lightning strike on Friday, Aug. 1 has grown to 320 ha. The Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako issued an evacuation order Monday morning for the occupants of 10 properties in that area.
The order covers all land, properties, and dwellings located between Holy Cross Hallet Lake Forest Service Road and Lily Lake Road, south of Smith Creek Road and northwest of the Nechako River.
One BC Wildfire unit ground crew and two initial attack crews are fighting that fire, backed by heavy equipment and helicopters equipped with water buckets.
Smoke from that fire is visible in Vanderhoof, Fraser Lake and along Highway 16 and some of that reached Prince George.
The Dorman Lake fire has been displaying Rank 2-3 fire behaviour (low-to-moderate surface fire) on the scale of six, with Rank 6 being the worst possible.
There is another fire (G41250) west of the Dorman Lake fire, also started by lightning on Aug. 1, but no properties are currently being affected.
There's also an evacuation alert due to a fire in the area northwest of Trembleur Lake, about 75 km northwest of Fort St. James.
Those fires are among 13 active wildfires in the Prince George fire zone. Three are out of control, five are under control and five are listed as being held by fire crews. Most of those fires cover an area of one hectare or less.
Showery weather is expected over the next two days, which should help reduce the intensity of those fires.
“The one good thing we have going for us, especially in the next 48 hours, is favourable weather,” said Prince George Fire Centre fire information officer Jeromy Corrigan.
“It’s going to be cloudy for most of the west fire centre, in the Vanderhoof area. They have seen a bit of rain and there is the possibility of showers for today and for (Wednesday) as well. It’s going to be much cooler conditions, less than seasonal, with some showers for the zone, so that’s going to help with fire behaviour.”
As of Tuesday morning BC had 135 active fires, 16 which started in the previous 24 hours.
The Prince George Fire Centre (an area that covers all of northeastern BC) has had 59 fires reported since Thursday, July 31, after a rash of lightning strikes late last week.
Bulkley-Nechako put an evacuation alert is in place due to the Sam Ross Creek fire, 33 km southeast of Burns Lake. The alert covers the area north and south of Highway 16 between Glenannan Rd to the east and the Electoral Area E boundary to the west and it extends south extends south Francois Lake and includes all properties west of the Glenannan Road/ Francois Lake Road intersection.
Another evacuation alerts in place since Aug. 1 covers an area near Trembleur Lake (about 75 km northwest of Fort St. James). The alert includes the northeastern part of Rubyrock Provincial Park, south of Middle Forest Service Road, within six kilometres of the north shore of Trembleur Lake.
In the Cariboo Fire Centre, the Snaking River is the fire that’s of most concern. It grew from 150 ha of Friday, Aug. 1 to 1,164 ha within a couple of days and an evacuation alert was put in place by the Cariboo Regional District for a 755 ha area along Harrington Road has been expanded and the Nazko First Nation has also issued an evacuation alert.
The weather in that region has also been favourable for firefighters.
“The past two days of cooler temperatures and increased humidity has helped to moderate fire behaviour with mostly Rank 1 and pockets of Rank 2 being observed,” said Amandah Cullum, a Cariboo Fire Centre fire information officer. “As a result, there was no significant growth on the fire. These improved conditions continue to aid ground crews in making good progress on suppression efforts. “
Seventy-six firefighters, seven pieces of heavy equipment, and helicopters, supported where needed by fixed-wing air tankers, are being utilized on the Snaking River fire.
“One of the main objectives is to anchor from the northern flank, where heavy equipment continues to establish a fuel-free guard and is working progressively south along the eastern and western flanks,” said Cullum.
“Efforts are focused on preventing spread to the southwest and west and limit the fire growth by tying control lines into natural features such as cutblocks and meadows. Good progress has been made, with approximately 50 per cent of these objectives completed.”
The crews involved are planning to fight fire with fire.
“A plan has been developed to conduct an aerial ignition on the southwestern corner of the fire,” Cullum said. “This will cover up to 140 hectares and may occur as early as (Tuesday). The planned ignition will only proceed if site and weather conditions are appropriate to do so. The goal of this operation is to remove unburnt fuels between the fire’s edge and pre-established control lines.
“Removing the available fuel is a key strategy in wildfire suppression,” she said. “By doing this, we reduce the risk of uncontrolled fire growth and allow suppression efforts to be carried out under more suitable and controlled conditions, improving both efficiency and effectiveness.
“To support this operation, heavy equipment has been used to tie guard into natural features which have been reinforced by retardant. Ground crews have established hose lays and water delivery in advance of the operation. Further to this, ground crews, heavy equipment and helicopters will be positioned along the control line to ensure the fire remains within the desired perimeter.”
