Northwest Fire Centre “In Serious Trouble”

PRINCE GEORGE – The forest fires in the Northwest Fire Centre are out of control and local government officials are sounding the alarm.

Bill Miller is the Chair of the Bulkley-Necho Regional District says the crews brought in from the BC Wildfire Service were brought in to handle a single blaze. But several have come up since. The Shovel Lake fire has grown to 16,000 hectares and has the Lion’s share of the resources, with 111 people on the ground and 51 pieces of heavy equipment. But the Nadina Lake fire is now 15,000 hectares and has 19 personnel on the ground, while the Island Lake fire is nine thousand hectares and 14 people working it. All of those areas are under evacuation orders.

“A lot of these fires are in my riding. And it’s very concerning. There are many homes, communities are at risk. And we’re not seeing the kind of resources that we’d like to see to fight the fires,” says John Rustad, MLA for Nechako Lakes. “When you’ve got a fire that is 15,000 hectares and you’ve got 19 people working on it? They’re doing their best. I know the firefighters are doing their best, but they need the support.”

The anxiety is evident in the voice of the Chair of the Bulkley Nechako Regional District.