North view of the Nohomin Creek wildfire up the Fraser River (Image credit: B.C. Wildfire Service).

By Aaron Schulze

Nohomin Creek Wildfire

Nohomin Creek wildfire west of Lytton advancing towards Stein Valley Nlaka’pamux Heritage Park

Jul 18, 2022 | 5:43 AM

LYTTON, B.C. — As of Sunday (July 17) evening, the Nohomin Creek wildfire is mapped at 1,706 hectares and remains out of control.

In an update from the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS), the fire’s western flank is growing upslope in steep, inoperable, and nearly inaccessible terrain, and advancing toward the Stein Valley Nlaka’pamux Heritage Park.

“Responder safety is the number one priority, and this area poses significant safety challenges, thus crews are unable to action the western flank at this time,” BCWS says.

BCWS states Lytton First Nation and BC Parks are working together to identify cultural values, sensitive sites, and other recreational and ecological values, and the best methods to protect them.

The Stein Valley Nlaka’pamux Heritage Park has a fire management plan which outlines the course of action to take should a wildfire start or enter the park. The plan identifies the valley bottom, the walking trail, and watershed as areas where fire suppression efforts may be permitted.

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According to BCWS, a warming and drying trend is forecast for the coming week, which means fuels are expected to dry out, becoming more susceptible to ignition. As the Nohomin Creek wildfire moves west, BCWS says fuels in the Stein Valley Nlaka’pamux Heritage Park will be consumed, which can lead to large amounts of smoke and intense wildfire.

Elsewhere, BCWS says helicopters providing bucketing had success on the north and south flanks of the Nohomin Creek wildfire, allowing crews to continue directly attacking the wildfire.