By CKPGToday

Northwest Fires Continue To Rage

Aug 16, 2018 | 5:12 AM

PRINCE GEORGE – There is cautious optimism be shown by BC Wildfire officials around the Shovel Lake fire west of Prince George.  However, there is still some fear of what might be coming thanks to Mother Nature.

Despite windy conditions Wednesday, BC Wildfire officials say there was no significant growth in the massive fire.  Crews shored up guards on the northwest corner of the blaze.  On the southern edge, crews used the natural barrier of Stern Lake to work and the edge of the PNG pipeline to build guards.  

But Thursday’s forecast will test the guards.  Temperatures are expected to climb into the mid 20’s, the humidity will drop and winds will kick up with gusts of 30 kph expected.

Meantime the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako has expanded the evacuation alert around the fire. The southeast corner of the alert is located at the intersection of Highway 16 and Highway 27. The eastern edge runs north and east of Fort St James. 

Improved smoke conditions Wednesday allowed officials to develop a better map of the fire and say it is over 68,000 hectares. 

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Just south, the Island Lake fire is testing crews.  Work was conducted Wednesday to try to prevent the fire from spreading further east along the southern shores of Francois Lake. Officials say the fire has not moved any closer to Fraser Lake and is being held by the Nithi River. It’s currently burning at about 14,800 hectares. While the fire is holding on the east side, it has moved around the south side of Anzus Lake. An expanded evacuation order and alert have been issued. 

Meantime additional structural protection specialists and resources are being assigned to protect structures which are at risk from the fire. Those resources are expected to be available Thursday morning.  

Crews are working on a guard on the north side near the Grassy Plains area of the Verdun fire, which is currently burning at just over 6,300 hectares. They continue to work on containing the fire and mop up along the southwest edge. An evacuation order and alert were expanded for the fire on Wednesday. 

The Nadina Lake fire continues to challenge crews as it burns at about 46,000 hectares. Crews are building a guard from Owen Lake to Nadina Mountain with the intention of performing a planned ignition when conditions allow it. There is an aggressive backing fire on the southwest perimeter with the head of the fire west of Gale Lake. Equipment operators continue to remove dangerous trees from roadways. An evacuation order and alert is in effect for this fire by the Bulkley Nechako Regional District.

In the Cariboo, the Narcosli Creek fire is 50 percent contained and has a fire guard completed around 90 percent of the fire. The weather forecast is predicting a chance of a thunderstorm rolling through the area Thursday.

The CRD has now reduced the evacuation order and alerts for the Narcosli Creek area. Twenty-three properties remain on evacuation order while the alert remains in place for 985 properties in the Narcosli Creek area. An alert for 1,558 properties in Electoral Area B has been lifted to all clear including Bouchie Lake and Milburn Lake. 623 properties in the Nazko, Baker Creek and Blackwater communities remain under an evacuation alert. 

Quesnel has lifted the evacuation alert to all clear for all city properties in West Quesnel. Should the conditions become worse in the area, the city says, an alert or order may need to be reissued. 

THURSDAY UPDATE

FIRE SITUATION