Crews have gained significant control of the Wildfires of Note in the Cariboo Fire Centre as temperatures begin to cool, and the three remaining fires in the Baezaeko Complex (Blackwater River, North Baezaeko and Shag Creek) were taken off the Wildfires of Note list yesterday (Sept. 16).
The move leaves the Cariboo Fire Centre with no Wildfires of Note.
Fire information officer Jessica Mack says the Cariboo Fire Centre has once again taken command of all fires in the Cariboo. The incident management team that had been set up at Sylvia’s Cafe to managed the Baezaeko Complex has now been dismantled.
“This is due to the wildfires showing minimal fire activity,” says Mack via email.
Although the incident management team has been disbanded, crews are still working on fires across the region, and Mack says there’s no set timeline for when they will stop working.
“I cannot speculate on when a wildfire will be called out. The BC Wildfire Service does not take calling a wildfire out lightly, and there are times, like last year, where fires were not called out until the following spring,” says Mack.
Fires can even remain under the cover of snow.
According to a press release distributed in April 2018 by the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resources Operations and Rural Development and the BC Wildfire Service, an overwintering fire can occur when a wildfire that burned deep underground continues to smoulder all winter long.
Residual hot spots have the potential to flare up with the arrival of warmer and drier weather in the spring.
At last update, on Friday Sept. 14, the Blackwater River Fire is 100 per cent guarded and 100 per cent contained, and is designated as Under Control, meaning the fire has received sufficient suppression action to ensure no further spread of the fire.
It is estimated at 8,277.5 hectares.
43 firefighters were on site Friday, continuing to action the fire, along with one piece of heavy equipment and four helicopters, which are shared between the three remaining Baezaeko Complex fires.
West of the Blackwater River Fire, the North Baezaeko Fire was last estimated at 13,433 hectares. It was 70 per cent guarded and 100 per cent contained, as of Sept. 14, reports the BC Wildfire Service. This fire is also designated as Under Control.
Eighty-eight firefighters were on the ground along with two pieces of heavy equipment Friday. The BC Wildfire Service will continue to demobilize equipment when no longer required.
Last Monday (Sept. 10) evacuation alerts due to the Blackwater River and North Baezaeko Fires were lifted by the Cariboo Regional District, and evacuation orders for the Shag Creek Fire were downgraded to alerts, and later rescinded.
READ MORE: Evacuation alerts near Blackwater River Fire lifted; Shag Creek order downgraded to alert
The Shag Creek Fire, far west of Quesnel, was last estimated at 12,322 hectares and was still zero per cent contained Sept. 14, although the fire is designated as Being Held, which means that “sufficient suppression action has been taken and the fire is not likely to spread beyond existing or predetermined boundaries under the prevailing and forecasted conditions,” according to the BCWS.
The Narcosli Creek Fire was downgraded from a Wildfire of Note in the first week of September, and was last estimated at 4,636 hectares. It is considered Under Control by the BCWS but is not out, says Mack.
Northwest of Quesnel, the Chutanli Lake Fire, which began in the Prince George Fire Centre but crept into the Cariboo Fire Centre, is now 95 per cent contained, and estimated at 20,813 hectares, according to the last update. The fire is designated as Being Held.
The Kluskus Forest Service Road is now safe for travel and open to all traffic, however, the Martin Road and the Blue Road remain closed due to fire activity as does the Grey Road.
Other fires in the Quesnel Fire Zone that still appear on the BCWS map include a fire at Bald Face Mountain, east of Itcha Ilgachuz Provincial Park, which is estimated at 10,687 and is classified as Being Held.
The Yuzkli Lake Fire northwest of Wells is estimated at 92 hectares and is also Being Held.
The BC Wildfire Service says it will no longer be updating fires on the interactive map. For more information on fires started since April 1, 2018, visit http://bcfireinfo.for.gov.bc.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/Fires.asp?Mode=normal&AllFires=1&FC=7
editor@quesnelobserver.com
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