Firefighters continue to battle 44 active wildfires within the Cariboo, including one southwest of Deka Lake that has grown to 200 hectares in size.
Some 40 firefighters, an equipment task force team and three helicopters remain on site of the Deka Lake fire - considered a “wildfire of note.” More than 600 people have been evacuated from the area. The wildfire is one of 36 active fires burning in the South Cariboo area, according to the BC Wildfire Service.
BCWS said all the fires and reports of wildfires in the South Cariboo are continuing to be assessed and actioned in priority sequence.
The most notable wildfires including one south of Green Lake Pressy FSR (near Watch Lake), estimated at just over 15 hectares in size, which is being held at the moment. Thirteen firefighters have put in a hose lay around the entire perimeter of the wildfire and crews will continue to put water on the perimeter of the fire.
The Lone Butte wildfire, estimated at six hectares, is also considered as being held, with the Lone Butte fire department on site today. The other notable fire in the area is a 15 ha wildfire northwest of Irish Lake - also known as the Horse Lake wildfire. Seventeen firefighters and one helicopter are focusing on putting water on the north and south flanks of the wildfire, according to BSWS.
READ MORE: 78 wildfires burning in the province. Here’s what we know
Four fires were called out Thursday “due to great efforts by all personnel,” BSWS said in the update, but noted the fire danger rating across the region is sitting mostly at high, with some pockets of “extreme.”
In the Quesnel Fire Zone, there are seven active wildfires, with a five-ha blaze south of Batnuni Lake, which 13 firefighters and one helicopter are working to suppress, along with a fire south of Kluskus Lake estimated to be 25 hectares in size. There is a heavy equipment task force team that is on-site working to establish a machine guard around the wildfire.
The Central Cariboo Zone has are four active wildfires, including a 900-hectare blaze near McKinley Lake. Nineteen firefighters and three helicopters continue to suppress the wildfire, while ground personnel continue to work to establish access to the fire and engage in direct attack on the west flank.
A new wildfire was also discovered Friday near the Churn Creek Protected Area. It is estimated at three hectares in size and has four firefighters and an aircraft on site.
kelly.sinoski@100milefreepress.net
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter