Lightning sparks 11 fires overnight in the PG Fire Centre

PRINCE GEORGE — Crews responded to 11 new wildfires overnight in the Prince George Fire Centre.

Fire Information Officer Sharon Nickel says they were all caused by lightning. She says six were in the Vanderhoof zone, one of which is already out, three in the Prince George zone, one of which is already being held, one near Fort St. James and another near Dawson Creek. Nickel says the largest is a four hectare fire near Fort St. James.

She says the largest fire closest to any community is the one in the Dawson Creek zone, about five miles west of town. Nickel says they do have an initial attack crew on the way and she says initial attack crews are available to help fight the other new fires.

She says there are currently two evacuation alerts and an evacuation order in the Prince George Fire Centre, including one for the 20,000 hectare Cutoff Creek fire 70-80 kilometres southwest of Vanderhoof and another alert and an order for the out-of-control Helmut/Kotcho Lake fires which are clustered in the vicinity of work camps in the area.