Image credit: BC Wildfire Service
FIRE BEING HELD

BC Wildfire Service makes progress on fire near Spences Bridge

May 26, 2024 | 7:47 AM

The BC Wildfire Service has made headway on the blaze discovered near Spences Bridge on Friday (May 24) and it is no longer being classified as out of control.

The 51-hectare fire is being held and is not projected to spread beyond established control lines, according to the BC Wildfire website and twitter accounts.

Service crews, aviation resources and support from cool, wet weather are credited for helping to contain the fire, which 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.

The fire, believed to have been caused by human activity, was 10 hectares when discovered on Friday and 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.

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 on Saturday there were 33 personnel responding to the fire, along with three helicopters and air-tanker support as needed.

No structures were threatened.