Image credit: BC Wildfire Service

By Marty Hastings

WILDFIRE GROWS

Wildfire near Spences Bridge grows to 51 hectares, but behaviour showing improvement

May 25, 2024 | 9:56 AM

SPENCES BRIDGE — The wildfire discovered near Spences Bridge on Friday (May 24) grew by 41 hectares overnight, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service website.

BC Wildfire told CFJC Today on Saturday (May 25) the fire is 51 hectares, up from 10 hectares on Friday.

The fire was discovered at about 3:00 p.m. on Friday about five kilometres north of Spences Bridge, near Drinkwater Road on the east side of the Thompson River.

BCWS says the out-of-control fire is believed to have been caused by human activity and its crews are responding to the blaze, which is burning in steep terrain.

As of Friday, the fire was displaying Rank 3 and Rank 4 fire behaviour, meaning a vigorous surface fire with a moderate rate of spread, according to the BC Wildfire twitter account.

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Sarah Budd of the Kamloops Fire Centre noted improvement in behaviour on Saturday morning, saying the fire is burning at Rank 1, a smouldering ground fire.

“Smoke and slow-creeping, but we’re not seeing any of that kind of kindling activity at this point,” Budd said. “It was going yesterday, but it’s come back down. I think we had a good overnight recovery.”

Budd said there are 33 personnel responding to the fire, along with three helicopters and air-tanker support as needed.

No structures were being threatened as of Saturday morning, said Budd.