Category Archives: Forest Fires

The BC Wildfire Service says the West Kelowna, B.C., fire department is returning to “normal day-to-day operations,” 10 days after a fast-moving wildfire forced thousands to flee and went on to destroy more than 170 homes in the area. It says an additional 1,800 people have been allowed to return home this weekend as evacuation orders are lifted. …The Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre says 1,588 properties remain on evacuation order in West Kelowna and 1,114 remain on order in rural areas of the regional district as well as on Westbank First Nation lands. The McDougall Creek wildfire, responsible for much of the destruction in the West Kelowna area, continues to burn out of control over 123 square kilometres. In the Shuswap region to the north, BC Wildfire Service says a warming and drying trend will fuel increased fire behaviour at the 430-square-kilometre Bush Creek East blaze before temperatures are expected to cool Tuesday.

An out-of-control wildfire continues to threaten Fort Smith, N.W.T., but officials assure community members that the frogs in the beloved frog ponds are “happily hopping about” despite extensive tree-thinning in the surrounding area. The frog ponds were surrounded by large, old jack pine and tightly packed black spruce that acted like a “fire wick,” pulling fires from the south into the dense forested areas of the community. Extensive thinning operations, as well as a dozer guard with sprinkler lines, were put in place by crews in order to mitigate that risk. “I want to assure everyone that this does not mean the low-lying wetlands of the frog ponds have been destroyed,” Fort Smith Protective Services said. “After a walk into the ponds this morning, I found many frogs happily hopping about in what little wet vegetation is left after a dry summer”

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District has expanded the boundary area of an evacuation order put in place due to the Stein Mountain wildfire. The 3,289-hectare blaze is burning about 12 kilometres northwest of Lytton and west of the Fraser River. BC Wildfire Service said Thursday it has seen “significant growth” over the past 48 hours on the north flank. “Structure protection crews are actively protecting structures, and night crews remain on sight with support of one water tender,” BCWS said. On Thursday afternoon, the TNRD issued its expanded evacuation order for an area in Electoral Area I (Blue Sky Country), west of the Fraser River. The regional district noted that the two addressed properties within that area have been on evacuation order for weeks, and no other addressed properties are within the expanded order area. People who are in the area under evacuation order must leave immediately.

A massive wildfire in northern Alberta grew significantly overnight and breached a fireguard, threatening a small remote community. Officials warn the out-of-control Wood Buffalo Complex is more than 450,000 hectares in size and approaching the community of Fort Fitzgerald. The flames were 3.5 kilometres from homes as of Wednesday afternoon – 2.5 kilometres closer than Tuesday. The wildfire breached the most southerly “dozer” guard, an area of land plowed by bulldozers to eliminate “fuel” – trees and vegetation – to control the spread of wildfires. Bulldozers were working Wednesday to strengthen the perimeter of the fire to “re-establish protection from the south,” according to Alberta Wildfire’s latest update. …Alberta Wildfire says there are 308 personnel, 57 pieces of heavy equipment and 24 helicopters actively working on the Wood Buffalo Complex blaze.

The City of Mission has made the decision to close its municipal forest and surrounding areas due to an “extreme wildfire risk.” Starting Thursday, Aug. 24, the Mission Municipal Forest, which includes Stave West Forest and Recreation Area, Hunter Road, Red and Bear mountains, and the BC Hydro boat launch will be closed to the public. Only vehicles travelling to designated and reserved campsites will be permitted in the area. “As we have all witnessed in recent days, the risk of wildfire in interface areas has never been more real and present,” said Mission Mayor Paul Horn. “Here in Mission, our forest constitutes literally half of our community and countless people would be displaced or adversely affected by a wildfire. Indeed, this area provides both drinking water and electricity to many local homes, so any harm to the area would have a long-lasting effect.”

In related news: Victoria Times Colonist, by Jeff Ball: ‘Forest was ablaze’: Fire in Thetis Lake park sparks call for shutdown

Wildfires threatening communities in the Northwest Territories were kept at bay Wednesday as politicians continued grappling with “astronomical” costs of fighting the blazes and how to eventually get people home. The N.W.T. government said in its wildfire update that fires encroaching on the capital of Yellowknife, along with the communities of Hay River and Fort Smith, remained a threat but had not moved closer. Fires were within 15 kilometres of Yellowknife, within eight kilometres of the hub city of Hay River and four kilometres from Fort Smith on the Alberta boundary. Crews continued to water bomb the fires and dig barriers down to the forest’s dirt floor to rob the fires of fuel. There were 237 active fires menacing the region. More than two-thirds of the 45,000-plus residents who call the N.W.T. home are living in evacuation centres and hotels as far away as Calgary and Winnipeg.

The BC Wildfire Service says its crews captured a fire tornado on video this past week near the Downton Lake wildfire, west of Lillooet. In the video, a swirling vortex can be seen twisting above a lake as the mainland burns behind it. The service says it happened at Gun Lake on Aug. 17. The phenomenon, also called a “fire whirl,” is described as “vertically oriented, intensely rotating columns of gas and flame.” It was said to be caused by a cold front that combined with the intense wildfire heat from the Downton Lake blaze. “This was a significant drop, 20C lower than the day prior to the cold front. With this combination of conditions and fire behaviour, fire intensity was more extreme during this overnight period, reaching intensities that hadn’t been seen even during the day,” the service said. The BC Wildfire Service adds tornados like this are incredibly rare and unusual.

Latest estimates suggest almost 90 structures were destroyed or damaged in West Kelowna and the Westbank First Nation, and almost 100 in the North Westside region to the north. Three homes were lost in Kelowna and another three in neighbouring Lake Country. The B.C. premier, along with provincial forests and emergencies ministers, met Tuesday with evacuees from the southern Interior, some of whom criticized the province’s wildfire fighting strategy. Wildfire-related travel orders to the B.C. Interior — except for West Kelowna — will be lifted at midnight Wednesday. In the Shuswap region, wildfire fighters say their equipment has been removed or tampered with. The latest estimates from fire chiefs in B.C.’s Central Okanagan region suggest almost 200 buildings have been destroyed in aggressive wildfires that swept through West Kelowna and the surrounding area last week.

KELOWNA, B.C. — Fire chiefs say the fight against devastating wildfires that have been rampaging around Lake Okanagan, B.C., has turned a corner after days of destruction. West Kelowna fire chief Jason Brolund said “things are finally looking better,” with an army of 500 firefighters engaged in a battle that is now in a new phase. He told a news briefing Sunday that no more homes in West Kelowna had been destroyed by the McDougall Creek wildfire in the past 24 hours and it was possible to begin to “talk about recovery.” Kelowna fire chief Travis Whiting told the briefing he was also “very excited” about the advances being made, with his crews optimistic and in good spirits. …The positive developments in the Central Okanagan come amid a desperate battle against hundreds of fires across the province, with 30,000 people under evacuation orders… “We can take a deep breath” and focus on strategy, said Whiting.

In related coverage: Dozens of evacuation orders lifted around Central Okanagan

The Upper Park Rill Creek wildfire west of Oliver saw no changes overnight as it remains at 1,090 hectares. Under the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen Emergency Operations, there are currently 246 properties on evacuation alert and 257 properties on evacuation order. The map of where the orders and alerts are can be seen on the RDOS interactive map. Fire crews and heavy machinery are on site to help battle the blaze. The blaze was human-caused and started on Friday, Aug. 18. It remains out of control and is one of 14 wildfires of note in the province. There are also currently 377 active wildfires on B.C.

Hundreds of properties in the Fraser Canyon and Thompson-Nicola regions remain on evacuation order and alert as the Kookipi Creek wildfire continues to grow. As of Saturday morning, the Kookipi Creek fire was estimated to be 105 square kilometres in size, growing from 88 square kilometres on Friday south of Lytton, B.C. The fire has not seen significant growth over the course of Saturday, said Kimberly Kelly, an information officer with the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS). Highway 1 has been closed between Lytton and Hope since the fire crossed the highway on Thursday. The next update on the highway’s status will be provided Sunday morning. Evacuation alerts and orders have been issued from the Fraser Valley Regional District, Thompson-Nicola Regional District, Lytton First Nation, Skuppah Indian Band and Kanaka Bar Indian Band.

B.C.’s fight against wildfires continued Saturday, after blazes flared up on Friday night and destroyed properties in the Central Okanagan region. The province is under a state of emergency due to hundreds of active wildfires, with the emergency management ministry saying 30,000 people have been told to leave their homes, and a further 36,000 have been told to get ready to leave at a moment’s notice. At a Saturday news conference, B.C. Premier David Eby initially stated that 35,000 people were on evacuation order, but … the situation is currently very dynamic. Eby said he was issuing an order that restricts travel to B.C.’s southern Interior for the purpose of staying in temporary accommodation such as a hotel, motel or campground. …The McDougall Creek wildfire burning in West Kelowna grew more than a hundredfold — from 64 hectares to 6,800 hectares (68 square kilometres) — in just 24 hours. As of late Friday evening, it covered an area of 105 square kilometres.

Ash, a giant heap of rubble and metal scraps are all that remain of Jason Martinson’s shop where he makes custom docks near the shores of Shuswap Lake, in Scotch Creek, B.C. …Residents of more than 3,500 properties in B.C.’s Shuswap region had to evacuate on Friday and Saturday as “extreme fire behaviour” entered the area, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) and local emergency officials. On Saturday, the BCWS confirmed that two fast-moving wildfires burned down blocks of homes, stores and buildings in multiple communities in the Shuswap region. Among those evacuated were Jordon Byerley, a local firefighter, his daughter Camilla and son Brixton, the children’s aunt and their two puppies. The group, along with others, took a boat on Saturday to the town of Celista on the north shore of Shuswap Lake. CBC News photographer Ben Nelms travelled with them to witness the destruction.

The Shuswap Emergency Program (SEP) posted an update regarding the Bush Creek East fire and the many communities it has affected, noting the organization is working to provide the most accurate and timely information. All evacuation orders and alerts remain in place at this time. North of Shuswap Lake, the SEP said crews and equipment are assessing opportunities for viable line construction in the Celista and Magna Bay areas. These lines would direct fire spread north, away from communities. In the Lee Creek Drive area, structure protection is working and the fire is spreading slowly down slope, said the SEP. Crews will engage above structures and work along the fire’s perimeter once it gets close enough, reads the update. …At Little Shuswap Lake, the update reports a BC Wildfire Service crew and a team of Brazilian firefighters are working from Little Shuswap Lake north to Loakin-Bear Creek Road.

Additional coverage in Global News by Darrian Matassa-Fung: B.C. wildfires: Fire still growing in Shuswap area, firefighting gear being stolen

Wildland firefighters working on the out-of-control wildfire burning to the northwest of Yellowknife are hoping they can hit the fire head-on as warm, windy weather returns Sunday. Yellowknife was sitting at 19 C Sunday morning with a predicted high of 21 C. Winds gusting up to 35 km/h, are expected to wake up that wildfire and possibly push it toward the city. “We’re going to be looking at it this morning to see if we can put boots on the ground at the head of the fire and begin direct attack to slow down certain sections of this fire,” said Mike Westwick, N.W.T. fire information officer. The wildfire triggered the evacuation of the city, the neighbouring Yellowknives Dene communities of Ndilǫ and Dettah and residences along the Ingraham Trail last week. …NWT Fire said it is possible the fire threatening Yellowknife will move four or five kilometres in the day, though air tankers can slow that. 

Provincial officials warned Thursday the next 48 hours could be the most challenging during B.C.’s record-breaking fire season that has killed two firefighters and burned an area equal to half the size of Vancouver Island.  Strong, potentially erratic winds and dry lightning are forecast to sweep through the province starting Thursday afternoon in the North before heading south.  The next danger period is the weekend, according to B.C. Wildfire officials. More lightning is forecast to hit tinder-dry Vancouver Island, southwest B.C. and the Kamloops area from a weather system expected to head north from the U.S. …“We are expecting significant growth and we are expecting our resources to be challenged from North to South,” said Cliff Chapman, director of wildfire operations with the B.C. Wildfire Service

Evacuees fleeing a wildfire threatening Yellowknife and other parts of the NWT have arrived in Calgary, which is preparing to host 5,000 of them, a city emergency official said Thursday. Five designated evacuee flights were expected to land at Calgary International Airport on Thursday and the displaced persons they bring will be processed at a reception centre there before being accommodated at hotels, said Iain Bushell, director of emergency management and community safety. …A scientist who studies climate change’s impact on water said the same conditions impacting rivers and glaciers are affecting Canada’s forests and regions above the world’s tree lines. The fires forcing evacuations in the NWT, he said, should serve as another wake-up call. “These conditions are going right up to the Arctic — the tundra’s burning,” said Dr. John Pomeroy, a hydrologist with the University of Saskatchewan. “I take off my scientist’s hat and I’m terrified.”

The City of Kelowna has declared a state of emergency after the McDougall Creek wildfire jumped Okanagan Lake overnight, forcing more evacuations as spot fires ignite in the city. Just before 1 a.m. Friday, a state of emergency was declared in the City of Kelowna and residents in the Clifton Road North and McKinley neighbourhoods were ordered to evacuate their homes as spot fires flared in the city. “Due to unpredictable fire behaviour, it is critical that all residents evacuate for their safety and the safety of first responders in the area,” officials said in a statement Friday. Residents in the area of the west side of Glenmore Road from McKinley Beach to John Hindle Road were placed on evacuation alert and were “advised to be ready to leave their home at a moment’s notice.” Authorities confirmed Friday there has been “some structural loss” in West Kelowna. Officials plan to provide an update at 10 a.m.

©Fiona Price

Officials have confirmed there’s been some structural loss overnight due to the McDougall Creek wildfire. As the fire remains very active and unpredictable, firefighters continue to work on interface areas of McDougall Creek to protect property and infrastructure in West Kelowna. A full assessment of the areas affected will be undertaken in the morning, with a detailed update to be provided by emergency officials at 10 am. Currently, 2,462 properties are under evacuation order and 4,801 properties are under evacuation alert for the McDougall Creek wildfire. All current orders and alerts remain in place, and the public is reminded to stay out of the evacuation area, as they are active fire zones.

Another two communities in Yellowknife, N.W.T. were ordered by officials Thursday to evacuate as wildfires near the city’s borders. The order comes as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau convened a meeting of the Incident Response Group to discuss the wildfire crisis in the Northwest Territories, and days after a state of emergency was declared in the capital of Yellowknife. The high-level panel of cabinet ministers and senior officials is the federal government’s dedicated emergency committee that meets in the event of national crises or events that have major implications for the country. The group discussed the impacts of the 5,500 wildfires that have burned across Canada this year. They were also briefed on the devastating situation in the N.W.T. where more than 21,000 square kilometres have burned, over 236 wildfires continue to burn as of Thursday night, and thousands of residents are being forced to leave their home.

Additional coverage in the Northern View, by Canadian Press: ‘Trees were like ashes’: Evacuees recount fleeing NWT wildfires, seek refuge in Alberta

Canadian fire crews on Thursday battled to prevent wildfires from reaching the northern city of Yellowknife, where all 20,000 residents are leaving by car and plane after an evacuation order was declared. Water bombers flew low over Yellowknife as thick smoke blanketed the capital of the vast and sparsely populated Northwest Territories. Officials say the fire, which is moving slowly, is now 15 km (10 miles) northwest of the city and could reach the outskirts by Saturday if there is no rain. …So far about 134,000 square km (52,000 square miles) of land in Canada have been scorched, more than six times a 10-year average. Nearly 200,000 people have been forced to evacuate at some point this season. “The territories have never seen anything like this before in terms of wildfire … it’s an unimaginable situation for so many,” Mike Westwick, the territories’ fire information officer, told the CBC.

KELOWNA — As BC grapples with a record-breaking wildfire season, the 20-year anniversary of Kelowna’s firestorm brings mixed emotions for those who lived through it, and offers lessons for the present. At the time, the 2003 season was unprecedented in scale, but it has been dwarfed this year by fires that have burned six times more area so far. …Zeman, executive director of the B.C. Wildlife Federation, published a commentary last month decrying what he calls chronic and prolonged underfunding for renewable resource management. …The Filmon report said that the 2003 wildfire season scorched over 2,600 square kilometres across B.C., at the time a record amount. So far this season, more than 16,000 square kilometres have burned. Former Kelowna fire chief Gerry Zimmermann is now just thankful it wasn’t worse as wildfire seasons have only grown in intensity since. …But he said a few things have improved, especially communications with the public through the media.

Hundreds of wildfires raging in parts of Canada’s Northwest Territories have prompted officials to issue evacuation orders and declare a state of emergency as the blazes threaten the capital city of Yellowknife. The state of emergency allows for more resources to aid the more than 230 active fires charring areas across the Northwest Territories, according to Shane Thompson, the minister of the Municipal and Community Affairs. …The cities of Ndilo, Dettah and Ingram Trail are also under evacuation orders, Northwest Territories officials said. …“It is anticipated the fire will reach Hay River this evening,” Northwest Territories Fire said Wednesday evening. “Crews that were in the path of the fire are pulling off for their own safety and are re-positioning to assist in other areas.” A team from Alberta has been deployed to the Hay River area to lay fire retardant. …Dense smoke wafting south into the US.

Yellowknife residents have been ordered to begin evacuating the city immediately as wildfires approach, N.W.T. officials said Wednesday evening. While the city is not in immediate danger, Environment Minister Shane Thompson said a “phased approach” to evacuating will allow citizens to get out safely by car or by plane. The evacuation order says residents should leave “according to risk.” People living along Ingraham Trail, in Dettah, and the Kam Lake, Grace Lake and the Engle business district in Yellowknife are considered at highest risk and are urged to leave as soon as possible. Other residents of Yellowknife and Ndilo should leave by noon Friday. “The fire now represents a real threat to the city”… The fire was about 17 kilometres from the city on Wednesday, he said. The extraordinary evacuation order affects nearly 22,000 people. …Thompson said Wednesday that the highway from Yellowknife to Alberta is safe to drive. 

KELOWNA, BC — Thousands of properties in the Central Okanagan are now under an evacuation alert due to the McDougall Creek wildfire. The alert was issued just after 10:30 p.m. Wednesday. It covers 4,800 properties for portions of West Kelowna, the Westbank First Nation and the Central Okanagan West Electoral Area. Those affected by the alert are urged to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice, have a grab and go bag ready and stay tuned for any changes. Campers in Bear Creek Provincial Park are also advised to be ready to leave the area. The McDougall Creek wildfire is burning out of control, only 10 kilometers from West Kelowna. According to the BC Wildfire Service, the blaze is estimated to be 64 hectares in size and is considered a wildfire of note. Environment Canada warns three weather alerts are in effect for Kelowna as well as a special weather statement.