Crews have battled to a standstill a forest fire burning near Tete Jaune Cache while also learning it's three times as large as originally thought.
First estimated at 200 hectares when it was discovered on Tuesday, it was since determined to be 574 ha following helicopter fly-over on Thursday morning.
"Since Tuesday there really hasn't been any growth but with all the cloud cover we just couldn't see it," B.C. Wildfire Service spokesperson Amanda Reynolds said. "But the clouds had cleared this morning so a flight went up."
In all, 54 fire fighters were on the scene building by hand fire guards on the north side and on the east and west flanks.
"The fire now, we are calling it 'being held,' it's not out of control anymore," Reynolds said. "There's been sufficient suppression action taken on the fire and it's not likely to spread beyond existing or pre-determined boundaries under the current and forecasted conditions."
Although near Highway 16, Reynolds said the fire is not posing a problem for drivers.
"It didn't burn right to the highway, so there are still some trees in there," Reynolds said. "There hasn't been any fire behaviour today, no smoke."
More resources are expected to be on the scene today. The fire started when a tree fell on a powerline during Tuesday's windstorm, according to Reynolds.
The fire is the only fire of note in the Prince George Fire Centre, which stretches up to the B.C.-Yukon border. However, Reynolds said the service is bracing for an outbreak of wildfires in the B.C. Peace due to the hot dry weather in the forecast.
