http://bcwildfire.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/News.asp Ministry of Forests and Range: Wildfire Management Branch Copyright 2009, Province of British Columbia en-ca Mon, 29 Jul 2010 19:05:00 PST http://bcwildfire.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=1728
There are two fires currently burning near the Yukon border. One lightning-caused fire is currently estimated at around 700 hectares in size and has caused a highway closure between the junction of Highway 37 and 97 and Blue River. Burning off operations is planned along the highway either tonight or tomorrow. This will remove any unburned fuel between the wildfire and the highway in an effort to make the area safe for motorists.

The second fire near the Yukon border is a small fire four kilometres west of Lower Post. This small fire is being aggressively actioned by eight fire fighters. This fire is burning in a wetter area and the fire is not burning very aggressively at this time.

The one-hectare Decker Lake fire is now contained and is being mopped up by local contract fire-fighters.

Two modified response fires burning near Shesley River and south of the Telegraph Highway are burning more actively during this hot dry weather. Smoke from these fires is likely to be more visible to surrounding communities.

The Northwest Fire Centre is responsible for fire suppression and forest protection for an area that stretches from Burns Lake to the Queen Charlotte Islands and from Tweedsmuir Park to the Yukon border.

If you see flames, smoke, or an abandoned campfire, please call *5555 on a cell phone or 1-800-663-5555. For the latest information on fire activity, visit the Wildfire Management Branch website at www.bcwildfire.ca. For Facebook and Twitter updates, as well as details about evacuation orders and alerts, road conditions and air quality advisories, go to www.firesafebc.ca.
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On Wednesday three helicopters worked on the fire bucketing the fire with water, and airtankers worked to surround the fire with retardant in order to slow the fire's growth. A total of 24 fire fighters also worked to contain the fire.

Fire officials will do an analysis of the fire today, and form a plan for managing the fire. This may involve protecting values at risk and letting other areas of the fire burn. One of the priorities will be to attempt to reopen Highway 37 and maintain traffic flow.

Over 29 fires have been ignited in the Northwest Fire Centre since Monday. The fire centre continues to respond to these new fires with initial attack crews to work to contain the fires at a small size. Prior to Monday, the fire centre had responded to 36 unwanted fires of which over 90 percent were contained at less than four hectares in size.

The Northwest Fire Centre is expecting more thunderstorms in the region again today with the potential for lightning to ignite additional wildfires. The public needs to exercise due diligence with all sources of heat as our resources are devoted to suppressing natural lightning caused fires.

The Northwest Fire Centre is responsible for fire suppression and forest protection for an area that stretches from Burns Lake to the Queen Charlotte Islands and from Tweedsmuir Park to the Yukon border.

If you see flames, smoke, or an abandoned campfire, please call *5555 on a cell phone or 1-800-663-5555. For the latest information on fire activity, visit the Wildfire Management Branch website at www.bcwildfire.ca. For Facebook and Twitter updates, as well as details about evacuation orders and alerts, road conditions and air quality advisories, go to www.firesafebc.ca.]]> Mon, 29 Jul 2010 07:59:00 PST http://bcwildfire.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=1721
The second fire of note is burning west of the community of Decker Lake and is approximately one hectare. The resources working to contain this fire today include 20 fire fighters, two forest officers, heavy equipment, airtankers and two helicopters.

The Northwest Fire Centre is expecting more thunderstorms in the region again today with the potential for lightning to ignite additional wildfires. The public needs to exercise due diligence with all sources of heat as our resources are devoted to suppressing natural lightning caused fires.

The Northwest Fire Centre is responsible for fire suppression and forest protection for an area that stretches from Burns Lake to the Queen Charlotte Islands and from Tweedsmuir Park to the Yukon border.

If you see flames, smoke, or an abandoned campfire, please call *5555 on a cell phone or 1-800-663-5555. For the latest information on fire activity, visit the Wildfire Management Branch website at www.bcwildfire.ca. For Facebook and Twitter updates, as well as details about evacuation orders and alerts, road conditions and air quality advisories, go to www.firesafebc.ca.
]]> Sun, 28 Jul 2010 10:11:00 PST http://bcwildfire.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=1718
The Northwest Fire Centre is currently experiencing dry conditions and elevated fire hazard. To date the Northwest Fire Centre has responded to 40 fires, 32 of which have been caused by people.

Although campfires have been prohibited within the Nadina fire zone, the Bulkley fire zone and the old Kalum forest district, this ban does not prohibit campfires that are a half-metre high by a half-metre wide or smaller within the North Coast and Haida Gwaii forest districts. In these regions cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes are also still allowed. People lighting a campfire must maintain a fireguard by removing flammable debris from the campfire area, and must have a hand tool or at least eight litres of water nearby to properly extinguish the fire.
The ban now covers the Northwest Fire Centre's entire jurisdiction. A map of the area is available at http://bcwildfire.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/Bans.asp.
Please ensure campfires are not lit or kept burning during windy conditions, that adequate tools, water and people are on hand to contain a fire and that it is fully extinguished before leaving the area.

Anyone found in violation of an open fire ban may be issued a ticket for $345. Should a wildfire occur as a result of recklessness, a person can be fined up to $1 million or spend three years in prison and be ordered to pay all fire fighting and associated costs.
The ban will be in place until September 1, 2010 or until the public is otherwise notified.

The Northwest Fire Centre is responsible for forest fire protection for the western portion of the northern interior forest region, and the northern portion of the coastal forest region. The area stretches from the Haida Gwaii to just west of Endako and from the Yukon border to Tweedsmuir Park.

To report a wildfire or unattended campfire please call *5555 on your cell or toll-free 1 800 663-5555. For the latest information on fire activity, conditions and prohibitions, visit the Wildfire Management Branch website at www.bcwildfire.ca. For Facebook and Twitter updates, as well as details about evacuation orders and alerts, road conditions and air quality advisories, go to www.firesafebc.ca.
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This ban applies to open fires of any size, including campfires, fires with a burn registration number and industrial burning, fireworks, tiki torches and burning barrels.

The ban does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes, or to portable campfire apparatus with a CSA or ULC rating using briquettes, liquid or gaseous fuel, as long as the flame is kept under 15 centimetres in length.

The ban covers the old Kalum forest district, Nadina fire zone and the Bulkley fire zone of the Northwest Fire Centre's jurisdiction. Details are available at http://bcwildfire.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/Bans.asp
Within this area, the ban covers all BC Parks, Crown and private lands, but does not apply within the boundaries of local governments that have forest fire prevention bylaws and are serviced by a fire department. Please check with civic authorities for any restrictions before lighting a fire.

Anyone found in violation of an open fire ban, including campfires, may be issued a ticket for $345. Should a wildfire occur as a result of carelessness, a person can be fined up to $1 million or spend three years in prison and be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

The ban will be in place until September 1, 2010 or until the public is otherwise notified.

This campfire prohibition affects the area bounded by the administrative areas of the old Kalum forest district Nadina fire zone and the Bulkley fire zone. This includes the areas surrounding the communities of Burns Lake, Houston, Smithers, Hazelton, Kispiox, Terrace and Kitimat.
To report a wildfire or unattended campfire please call *5555 on your cell or toll-free 1 800 663-5555.

For the latest information on fire activity, conditions and prohibitions, visit the Wildfire Management Branch website at www.bcwildfire.ca.

For Facebook and Twitter updates, as well as details about evacuation orders and alerts, road conditions and air quality advisories, go to www.firesafebc.ca
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