Lightning is being blamed as the cause of a wildfire that started Thursday in the Snaking River area 65 kilometres west of Quesnel.
The out-of-control blaze doubled in size overnight to 150 hectares, prompting the BC Wildfire Service to issue an evacuation alert for a 755-hectare area near Harrington Road.
The fire is centred 2.6 kilometres east of Snaking River and smoke is highly visible in Quesnel and along Highway 97.
Forty-one firefighters and three pieces of heavy equipment have responding to the fire and there are three helicopters dumping water buckets to try get the fire under control.
“Ground crews and heavy equipment worked through the night to establish a control line by developing a fuel-free area,” said Amandah Cullen, a fire information officer for the Cariboo Fire Centre.
“Today, Rank 2 fire behaviour (low vigour surface fire with a slow rate of speed) is being observed. Ground crews are establishing water delivery systems and using direct attack methods to respond to the wildfire, with priority on spots on the eastern flank of the 5100 road.
“Danger trees are being assessed and felled to facilitate a safe working environment for ground crews. Heavy equipment is creating control lines, working from the western flank.”
Although no structures are threatened, the Cariboo Regional District issued an evacuation alert for several residences close to the wildfire. No structures are currently threatened. For more information on this alert for to the Cariboo Regional District website.
Between Wednesday and Thursday, with the province under the grip of an extended heat wave, BC Wildfire reported 13,167 lightning strikes that led to 140 new fires - 57 new starts in the past 24 hours.
Thirteen new fires were discovered in the Cariboo Fire Centre, which had 1,245 lighting strikes Wednesday and 978 on Thursday. Twenty-one new fires were detected in the Cariboo. No residences or infrastructure arecurrently under threat.
The Prince George Fire Centre (which covers all of northeastern BC) had an estimated 9,000 lightning strikes on Wednesday.
One of the largest fires in BC is the Cantilever Bar fire 10 km south of Lytton, west of the Fraser River, that is now threatening the Lytton First Nation reserve. Listed at 1,262 ha, that fire began July 28, sparked by a police trailer that lost its wheel and rolled into the tinder-dry brush.
In the Okanagan, the Drought Hill fire northeast of Peachland is being held, covering a 57 ha area. That grew from a truck fire along Highway 97 on Wednesday.
On Vancouver Island, residents of Cameron Lake between Port Alberni and Parksville have had to evacuate the north shore of the lake to escape a 90-hectare fire that was discovered Wednesday.
BC Wildfire is asking all residents and visitors of B.C. familiarize themselves with trusted sources of wildfire information and pay attention to local updates and alerts. Individuals in the vicinity of existing wildfires are encouraged to stay alert and aware of the current situation as wildfires are dynamic and conditions may change rapidly.
To report a wildfire, unattended campfire or open-burning violation, please call 1-800-663-5555 (toll-free), *5555 on a cellphone or submit a report directly through the BC Wildfire Service mobile app.
Users of the BC Wildfire app can add photos that will be georeferenced which will help staff make decisions on where to deploy resources.
Prince George reached a record-breaking high of 32.3 C on Wednesday, eclipsing the 1920 record 32.2 C set in 1920. Thursday’s high at the Prince George Massey Drive weather station high hit 31.8 C.
Wednesday was also a record-setter in Quesnel, reaching 35.9 C, beating the 1971 record 35.6 C. High temperature record also fell Wednesday in Mackenzie, 33.4 C (32.2 in 1971), Dawson Creek, 31.4 C (30.6 C in 1960) and Penticton, 36.8 C (36.7 C in 1930).
Heat warnings have been lifted with temperatures returning to near-normal levels.
Today’s high in Prince George is expected to hit 26 C with increasing cloudiness and a 30 per cent chance of thunderstorm. The overnight low will be around 12 C.
The BC Day long weekend weather is looking good for outdoor enthusiasts. Saturday’s predicted high is 25 C with a 30 per cent chance of a thundershower.
Sunday will bring a mix of sun and cloud and a high of 25 C, while Monday’s high is predicted to reach 23 C. Clouds and showers and slightly cooler temperatures are in store for Tuesday-Thursday with highs of 20-21 C expected.
