Image Credit: CFJC Today
WILDFIRES

A good weekend in the Kamloops Fire Centre

Jun 17, 2019 | 7:45 AM

KAMLOOPS — The B-C Wildfire Service says there were 45 active wildfires burning in the province as of yesterday.

It says 12 new fires ignited over the weekend, but most of them are small, ranging from 100 to 600 square metres. Lightning is the suspected cause of 19 of the fires, 12 are believed to have been started by people, and the cause of the rest is unknown.

The Wildfire Service says most of B-C is currently classified as dry, but Vancouver Island and the Fort Nelson Basin are very dry and could experience above-normal fire conditions.

In our area, BC Wildfire Service crews quickly gained control over a small weekend blaze in the Beresford Lakes area

Fire Information Officer Nicole Bonnett says the 1 hectare fire was reported Saturday (June 15) and is being held, after 6 firefighters responded. The fire is near a BC Hydro line, so Bonnett says Hydro had to go out and make sure the area was safe for fire crews to go in.

Other than that, Bonnett says the Kamloops Fire Centre is looking fairly stable. Most of the fires in the Kamloops Fire Centre are small ones.

The Sabiston Creek fire near Savona is the largest in our area at 200 hectares but is under control. The 500 hectare Richter Creek fire near Osoyoos is the largest right now, but is 100 percent contained and no longer considered a fire of note. There is a fire near Stump Lake that is still active, but it’s also under control at just over 1.5 hectares.

However, with thunderstorm risks in the area forecasts, she notes that the Wildfire Service will keep a close eye out for any new fires.