Weekend lightning sparks wildfires in Prince George region

The Prince George Fire Centre recorded 29 wildfire starts over the weekend. Of those, 16 have already been extinguished, while 13 remain active.

“We received a total of 29 active wildfires over the weekend. And then out of those 29, 16 already classed as out. And then we still have 13 of the wildfires which are still active,” Tariq said.

Crews continue to respond to the remaining fires, with resources being deployed based on fire behaviour, public safety concerns and values at risk. Across British Columbia, the BC Wildfire Service said it prepared for the anticipated increase in fire activity by ensuring personnel and resources were positioned and ready to respond before the storms arrived.

Over the past seven days, 182 new wildfires have started across the province. The wildfire service reports that 80 per cent of those fires are already classified as Out, Being Held or Under Control. Of the 37 fires that remain classified as Out of Control, 26 are 10 hectares or smaller.

Air and ground resources have been heavily utilized during the response effort. Airtankers were deployed to 53 targets over the past week, while 103 helicopters have been supporting firefighting operations across the province. Structure protection efforts have also been activated, with 151 personnel deployed, including support from 28 fire departments.

While crews continue to make progress on recent fire starts, officials say weather conditions remain a concern and could contribute to additional fire activity in the days ahead. Tariq warned that some lightning-caused fires may not become visible immediately and could emerge after smouldering undetected for a period of time.

“Based on the significant lightning activity over the past couple of days, especially over the weekend within the Prince George fires Center and the amount of and basically the unsettled weather conditions that we currently have, we are actually anticipating a potential hold over fires emerging within the next couple of days.”

The BC Wildfire Service is also encouraging members of the public to continue reporting wildfires through the BC Wildfire Service mobile application. Tariq said reports that include photographs can help crews assess incidents more effectively and assign resources before firefighters arrive on scene.

With hot and unsettled weather expected to continue, wildfire officials say rapid reporting and a quick initial response will remain key tools in limiting the spread of new fires across the Prince George region and the rest of British Columbia.

by Nick Dube

Weekend lightning sparks wildfires in Prince George region

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