On day 16, the Bearhole Lake fire is bigger than it was before—at an estimated 6601 ha—but the new size is due to another successful controlled burn along the north side of the fire.
The winds are not as strong, and the temperatures are not quite as hot as they have been, and we are slowly heading towards autumn, which have allowed crews to bring the fire, if not under control, under a state of being managed.
For the last week, the fire behaviour has remained low in most area, though there has been a flare up south of Blackhawk Lake recently.
The ridge of high pressure that has settled in and caused the smoke to hang around the area is expected to start moving east tomorrow, which will also mean increased winds, but BC Wildfire Service is not expecting the fire to make any major runs or escape the guards that have been set.
As the high pressure moves east, it will be followed by unsettled conditions, and a chance of rain and cooler temperatures.
The east side of the fire, which was the edge that was making the most progress towards Highway 52 and—if it got beyond that, towards Kelly Lake—remains the priority for suppression efforts, and crews are working to remove fuel. “This work involves establishing water delivery to the edge of the fire, hosing down areas of heat or flame and using hand tools to break up burning materials by moving around and inwards from the fire perimeter.”
Along the south flank of the fire, it remains held at the Kiskatinaw Forest Service Road as crews are able to put out any spot fires and wet down hot areas to prevent the fire from growing out of hand, either with hoses or with helicopter bucketing.
The fire was discovered on August 31, and grew to 100 ha by Sept 2. On Sept 4, high winds and dry weather pushed the fire 12 km towards Kelly Lake, and, while the community was evacuated, a shift in the weather and hard work by crews allowed the fire to be held on the west side of Highway 52. With the head of the fire now mostly contained, community members have been allowed back into the community, and the structure protection equipment that was set up has been removed.
While the evacuation alert has been rescinded, an area restriction order remains in effect until Sept 16, which includes travel along portions of the Hourglass and Boot Lake roads.
Farther north, the Battleship Mountain Fire remains out of control. The east flank of the fire is approximately 4 kilometres from the W.A.C. Bennett Dam and 8 kilometres from the District of Hudson’s Hope.
And, while cooler temperatures are expected there, too, winds are expected to gust up to 35 km per hour, causing the fire to become more aggressive, with tree candling and maybe even a flame front forming. Hudson’s Hope and the surrounding area remain evacuated.
Trent is the publisher of Tumbler RidgeLines.
