Skip to content

UPDATED: Lightning sparks new fires in Cariboo, Prince George Fire Centres

There are seven new fires in the Cariboo, as well as one between Hixon and Prince George
12777386_web1_180720-QCO-lightning-storm
A lightning strike taken looking southeast of Quesnel near Quesnel Forks during the lightning storm on July 17, 2018. Shea Kadar photo

UPDATE:

The fire west of Kersley at Tautri has been removed from the map, after personnel found nothing in the area, says Cariboo Fire Centre Fire Information Officer Jessica Mack.

However, new fires were added to BC Wildfire Service’s map this afternoon (July 18), with locations of seven fires: 12 kilometres east of 141 Mile House, at the south end of Tasse Lake, five kilometres northeast of Tasse Lake, near Mayford Lake, Forest Grove, Dog Creek Road, and Chimney Valley.

ORIGINAL:

There are four new fires in the Cariboo this morning following lightning storms across B.C. last night (July 17). There’s also a new fire between Hixon and Prince George in the Prince George Fire Centre.

A lightning-caused fire is located between Hixon and Prince George, near Stoner. According to Amanda Reynolds, the Fire Information Officer for the Prince George Fire Centre, crews are being dispatched to the fire this morning, though it is only 0.009 ha currently. She says the area “did recieve precipitation with the lightning from last night.”

In the Cariboo, there is one fire west of Quesnel at Tautri, which is currently listed at just 0.1 hectares (ha). Jessica Mack, the Fire Information Officer for the Cariboo Fire Centre says that personnel are en route to the fire but none are currently on the ground as of 9:30 a.m.

East of Quesnel, another fire is listed at Quesnel Lake. The map currently has it at 0.01 ha. Mack says personnel are currently en route.

One fire is near Williams Lake. This fire is listed in the Chimney Valley at 0.01 ha. The cause of the fire is listed as lightning. Mack says there are five firefighters and one officer on the ground there today.

The final fire is east of Williams Lake and 100 Mile House, near Forest Grove. It is also listed as 0.01 ha, though Mack says personnel are still en route and she cannot confirm the size.

If weather conditions continue to be dry and hot, there is a high probability that a campfire ban will be implemented in the Cariboo-Chilcotin, Mack told Black Press, noting the present fire danger rating throughout most of the region is moderate with pockets of “high” in the western Chilcotin.

As of Wednesday there have been 81 wildfires in the Cariboo Fire Centre’s jurisdiction, with 24 being human-caused and 57 lightning-caused, she said.

A total of 63 of the Cariboo Fire Centre’s firefighters have been deployed to either Quebec or Ontario to assist with increased wildfire activity in those jurisdictions.

READ MORE: Lightning strikes spark 38 fires in B.C.

READ MORE: Ash in water from 2017 wildfires causing decrease in oxygen

READ MORE: B.C. crews sent to help fight devastating wildfires in Ontario, Quebec



heather.norman@quesnelobserver.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter