Ross Moore Lake wildfire (July 29) (Image Credit: Contributed / Nat Anfield)

By Michael Reeve

WILDFIRE SEASON 2023

BCWS hopes stabilizing conditions can help fire fight near Kamloops

Jul 31, 2023 | 4:13 PM

KAMLOOPS — The BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) has classified the three fires burning around Kamloops as the Adams Complex, encompassing the Ross Moore Lake, Bush Creek East and Lower East Adams lake fires. By doing so, a single Incident Command Team has taken charge of fighting the fires which are sharing resources. While the Bush Creek fire is now fully surrounded by guard, work is still underway on the other two fires.

The largest fire of note for Kamloops is the Ross Moore Lake fire, burning at over 2,700 hectares south of the city. Over the weekend, residents reported seeing increased smoke from the blaze, something the wildfire service says could continue.

“That large column of smoke that was visible into the evening, that clasped right over town bringing with it large pieces of ash and debris, that was primarily a cut block or slash area that was burning. It wasn’t any significant growth or growing towards town at all, more so just a bunch of fuel that was burning,” said Fire Information Officer Forrest Tower.

Tower noted crews are seeing increased activity in the area again on Monday (July 31) and will be working to improve guards on the northwest side of the blaze that may have overrun.

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“We do have some bigger box containment heavy equipment guard that is still in its place, and the fire is within that. But with the fire activity yesterday and today, some of our closer guards for sure have been compromised. Heavy equipment is essentially just getting in and reassessing those lines where needed,” added Tower.

The Columbia Shuswap Regional District has set up structure protection units in alert zone of the Lower East Adams Lake wildfire, which is burning away from the community. While still burning in steep and dangerous terrain ground personnel have now been able to access the northern flank.

“As we move around to the north, we do actually have heavy equipment and personnel on that north side. We’ve worked with Interfor and they are using their heavy equipment and our people to kind of line locate. They do have a guard constructed kind of from the northwest around the north to the northeast side,” stated Tower.

Between the three fires, Tower confirmed that it will be likely that residents around Kamloops will see some larger columns of smoke in the coming days from all three fires but especially the Ross Moore Lake blaze.

“Likely there will be some columns forming on these fires, that is obviously scary, but we aren’t seeing any rapid growth in any direction necessarily. It’s just that there is a lot of fuel that can be consumed. We will see some growth on that northern side but again, just stressing that it isn’t moving at any kind of significant rate of spread at this time towards Kamloops,” said Tower.

With temperatures forecast to be reaching 30 degrees Celsius this week, crews are hoping some stability will calm the heavy winds.

“We would honestly take a bit less wind and a bit more temperature, that’s fine. Primarily, it’s the winds that are causing the challenge at this time,” stated Tower.