By CKPGToday

Wildfires Continue To Impact North-Central BC

Aug 17, 2018 | 6:37 AM

PRINCE GEORGE – It was another tough day in BC’s northwest where fire crews battled the Shovel Lake wildfire.  While there was no significant growth of the fire, the blaze is estimated to have burned more than 683 square kilometres since it was discovered July 27th.  

Wildfire crews are continuing to focus their attention on the south side of the fire where heavy equipment is being used to widen the guard along the PNG pipeline path.  South of that path lay homes and cabins along the north shore of Fraser Lake, along with the Nadleh Whuten First Nation. 

Air tanker and skimmers are available to support the work of ground crews building guards, however, heavy smoke grounded the planes Thursday.  

Officials in Fort St James are taking the evacuation alert attached to the Shovel Lake fire seriously.  Northern Health is moving patients from Stuart Lake Hospital in Fort St James to St John Hospital in Vanderhoof.  However, the Stuart Lake Hospital will remain open for urgent care along with lab and medical imaging services.

Meantime the College of New Caledonia has closed its campus in Fort St James.   It’s taking the action so students and staff can leave the community safely before the Shovel Lake fire cuts off Highway 27, the only paved highway leading south out of the community. 

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Smoky conditions were also reported south of Francois Lake where the Island Lake fire continues to rage.  Wildfire officials say they caught a break Thursday when the forecasted gusty winds failed to materialize.  While that fire didn’t see any significant growth Thursday, it continues to threaten homes in the region.

Guards continue to be established on the south flank and worked on at the southeast and northwest sides for the Nadina Lake fire. Visibility was an issue for crews Friday after the fire was extremely active Thursday night. Power lines have been turned off that come from Houston along Morice River FSR to the Huckleberry mine. 

To the south in the Cariboo, wildfire crews managed to increase the containment of the Narcosli Creek fire to 70 percent.  The remaining unprotected edges of the fire don’t threaten any homes.  As a result, the Evacuation alert for West Quesnel was called off Thursday afternoon.

An evacuation alert for 454 properties in the Lang Lake/Murphy Lake Area and Hawkins Lake and Eagle Lake Area have both been lifted. The Lang Lake fire is 70 percent contained and 100 percent guarded. 

The Dean River North area and Itcha Ilgachuz Provincial Park are now under an evacuation order for 62 properties. RCMP and other groups will be assisting. The evacuation route is Highway 20 to Williams Lake, where you can register at the ESS Reception Centre at Lake City Secondary campus at 640 Carson Drive. The order area includes five properties on the Ulkatcho First Nation. The evacuation alert now includes seven properties in the CRD and one on the Ulkatcho First Nation.

The evacuation alert has been partially lifted for 342 properties north of Mayfield Lake, 25 kilometres south of Williams Lake. Communities near Springhouse, Desous Mountain, Pablo Creek and English Road are all clear. There are still 28 properties in the Mayfield Lake area due to the wildfire. It is however, 70 percent contained and 100 percent guarded. 

The City of Prince George says it had registered more than 800 evacuees as of Thursday afternoon.  The reception centre at CN Centre is open from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm daily.  Mayor Lyn Hall says all evacuees are being placed in local hotels but admits space is filling up. Hall says he has reached out to other communities to see if they can take on evacuees if needed.

Last second changes are being made to the schedule at the BC Northern Exhibition in Prince George.  The City has closed Kin 1 to the public and is setting up cots to prepare for a possible influx of evacuees this weekend.  That has forced fall fair organizers to move vendors from Kin 1 to Kin 2.  Events that were planned for Kin 2 have been moved to the Gymnastics building.  And several rodeo events have been cancelled, primarily because of the heavy smoke and its impact on the horses running in the events.  

Environment Canada is calling for continuing dry weather through the weekend with temperatures reaching into the mid-twenties across the fire zone.