Blog Archives

Wildfires south of the border are responsible for “much” of the smoke that has prompted an air quality warning in one region of B.C., according to officials. The provincial wildfire service said an increase in local, lightning-caused fire starts was only partially responsible for poor air quality in parts of the southeast fire centre—including where parts of the Kootenays border the United States. “As wildfire activity increases, so has smoke across many areas of the region. Much of this smoke is originating from fires south of the Canada-U.S. border and will have varying impacts over the coming days,” an update Saturday evening said. …The issue of smoke travelling across the border caused a political firestorm in recent days, in part prompted by a social media post from U.S. President Donald Trump. …Just days before Trump’s post, 56-year-old Canadian pilot Nicholas Dale was killed while fighting a forest fire in Colorado.

©BCWildfireService

The entire City of Kimberley has been placed under an evacuation alert as an out-of-control wildfire burns west of the East Kootenay community. The alert covers all properties within Kimberley’s municipal boundaries, affecting roughly 9,000 people. Residents are not being ordered to leave but are being told to prepare in case conditions worsen. The Matthew Creek wildfire was discovered Saturday and is estimated to be 5.67 square kilometres (567 hectares) as of Sunday evening. The B.C. Wildfire Service says the fire began at high elevation in steep, mountainous terrain that is unsafe for crews to access directly. It says strong winds, steep slopes and spruce-balsam forest helped drive rapid growth. The blaze was burning as a highly vigorous and fast-moving fire Saturday but crews say fire behaviour had eased by Sunday. …Heavy equipment has been mobilized with three helicopters responding to the wildfire. 

©BC Wildfire Service

The aircraft churned through the Fraser Canyon night like an alien spectre, twin spotlights illuminating its surroundings but leaving its own bulk obscured. Only when the spectre drifted in front of a wall of orange did the oblongated form of a helicopter reveal itself. That helicopter, dropping water on the blazing hillside, offered a spark of hope for the small Fraser Canyon community of Boston Bar. Ten hours later, Boston Bar would be evacuated as crews braced for a potentially terrible day of fire weather and assessed the changing dynamics from the overnight growth of the blaze. When I stopped briefly in Boston Bar Wednesday evening around 11 p.m., a future evacuation order seemed almost inevitable. Two weeks earlier, the Brunswick Creek fire had broken out on the western side of the river and forced the evacuation of hundreds of rural and First Nation residents, including those in the small community of North Bend.

Hot, windy weather and the threat of dry lightning have made firefighting efforts near Boston Bar in B.C.’s Fraser Canyon more dangerous, the wildfire service says. B.C. Wildfire Service said challenging weather conditions are increasing the risk to those working on both the Brunswick Creek and Ainslie Creek wildfires. known together as the Brunswick complex. “Right now, for the safety of our crews, we are going to switch our tactics for the next 24 to 48 hours and focus primarily on structure defence and protection,” said BCWS. “So, moving away from the flanks of the fires that are active for the safety of our crews.” Environment Canada’s website showed Boston Bar sitting at 38 C on Thursday afternoon, with a chance of lightning in the evening. …An evacuation order was issued Thursday morning for the Boston Bar townsite after fires in the area grew more aggressive overnight. …An area motel owner said the smoke is so thick around Boston Bar that, at times, it’s impossible to breathe.

©BCWildfireService

Parts of Pemberton, B.C., are under an evacuation alert due to the Signal Hill wildfire. The Village of Pemberton issued the alert, which covers 1,377 properties, late Wednesday. The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District also issued an alert at that time for all properties in Area C on Collins Road to One Mile Lake to the Lillooet River. Residents are asked to prepare for to evacuate at a moment’s notice. Pemberton Mayor Mike Richman said these alerts were issued to prepare those affected should the fire move toward the community. Richman said fire crews were happy with the work they had done Thursday, but faced challenges as wind picked up into the evening. He said the fire was being pushed to the east, away from power lines and away from the village. An evacuation order is also in place for One Mile Lake Park. …The B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) says the wildfire was discovered on Wednesday, about five kilometres from Highway 99.

©NWT Fire

Northwest Territories officials are warning of “extreme fire weather conditions” across much of the territory on Thursday, with hot and dry weather expected to continue in the coming days. Fire information officer Mike Westwick said there were 10 new fires in the territory on Thursday, all triggered by lightning. …Westwick said a fire 35 kilometres west of the community of Gamètì, between Great Slave and Great Bear Lakes, has grown significantly. He said there is currently no danger to the community even though residents may see smoke. Another fire near Wrigley has moved a little closer to the hamlet. While moist air and a cold front are helping firefighters there, Westwick said the wind has pushed the flames about a kilometre closer. It’s now about 11 kilometres from the community. Officials say there’s no imminent threat to any homes or structures.

NWT Fire Facebook Update: Fire Weather Warning

The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) reported 46 active wildfires across the province as of 11 a.m. Wednesday, with firefighting crews continuing suppression and containment efforts on several significant fires. According to the SPSA, four fires are currently classified as contained, eight are not contained, 26 remain under ongoing assessment, and eight are in the protecting values stage. Among the province’s active wildfires, the BUDD fire, located east of Lac La Ronge, remains uncontained and has grown to 2,971 hectares. Fire crews are conducting planned burn-out operations, intentionally igniting forest fuels between a controlled line and the wildfire to help slow its spread. Officials said residents and land users may see smoke or flames on the north and northeast sides of the fire as the operation proceeds. The SPSA emphasized that ignition operations are carefully planned by wildfire specialists, taking into account weather conditions, available resources and public safety.

©BCWildfireService

Parts of Pemberton, B.C., are under an evacuation alert due to the Signal Hill wildfire. The Village of Pemberton issued an alert at around 11:30 p.m. PT Wednesday. The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) also issued an alert at that time for all properties in Area C on Collins Road to One Mile Lake to the Lillooet River. It tells residents to prepare for evacuation if necessary “because of the potential danger to life and health.” An evacuation order is also in place for One Mile Lake Park to “provide safe working space to crews supporting fire operations.” The village said on its website early Thursday morning that the wildfire was discovered about five kilometres from Highway 99. As of midnight Thursday, the fire was 0.1 square kilometres (10 hectares) in size, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS). …On social media, the wildfire service said skimmers are working out of Green Lake, northeast of Whistler.