June 25 update: The fire is estimated to be 36 hectares in size and 100 per cent contained but still considered out of control as “we are not confident the fire will not spread beyond the existing containment lines,” says Ryan Turcot, information officer with the BC Wildfire Service.
45 firefighters, as well as a helicopter and one piece of heavy equipment, are on site today. Crews are working to reinforce the control lines around the perimeter of the fire, according to Turcot.
“It has been determined that this fire was started by lightning.”
June 24: A wildfire 40 km southwest of Lac la Hache is still classified as “out of control” says Natasha Broznitsky, the Cariboo Fire Centre information officer.
The fire was discovered on Friday, June 23 and is estimated to be 36 hectares in size.
While Broznitsky says that control lines have been established around 100 per cent of the perimeter of the fire, “we are not confident at this time that it is not going to spread beyond that control line.”
As of the afternoon on June 24, 50 firefighters, one helicopter, and two heavy equipment operators were on scene.
“It’s hot and dry, but the winds are light,” says Broznitsky. While winds are forecasted to pick up later in the day, she says it is not to the extent that they are expected to cause issues for crews.
Air-tankers have also been dispatched to the fire, some refilling at the Cariboo Fire Centre in Williams Lake, while skimmers have been refilling out of Chimney Lake.
The fire is approximately 5 kilometres away from Esketem’c First Nation Territory, near Alkali Lake and is close to provincial transmission lines, however Broznitsky says there has been no change in proximity to the lines since Friday evening.
The fire is approximately 5 kilometres away from Esketem’c First Nation Territory, near Alkali Lake. Smoke is visible in the surrounding area.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.
“We have a cause and origin team out there today,” says Broznitsky. “Although there have been recent lightning fires in that area we are still investigating and don’t know for sure.”
BC Wildfire asks that the public stay well away from the area where the wildfire is buring to avoid putting the safety of the firefighting crews and others at risk.