Fire season is off to an early start, with much of Alberta on fire.
And while there are dozens of Forest Fires in Northern BC (61 as of Friday, May 5), they are not as major as the fires in Alberta, where extremely dry conditions have forced fire bans and off-highway vehicle restrictions throughout the entire Alberta Forest Protection Area.
Alberta is also the source of the smoke we’ve been experiencing the last few days in Tumbler Ridge.
Currently, the wind is blowing from the southwest, bringing smoke from a trio of huge fires south of Hinton.
As the wind shifts, expect the smoke to clear later in the day and into next week.
Currently, there are no active fires in the Tumbler Ridge area. Indeed, the only nearby fire listed on the BC Wildfires Map is the Bearhole Lake Fire. That fire, from last year, remains on the map—along with other major fires—as there is a chance the fire may still be smouldering underground. “The snow over winter provides insulation for fire burning in the deep duff layers, meaning that the fire will continue to smoulder through the winter months,” says the Prince George Fire Centre Information Officer. “These fires on the map from last year are classified as Under Control at this time, meaning that they are not expected to grow beyond existing boundaries based on current conditions.”
According to the Prince George Fire Centre, there has been a significant increase in new fires— the majority of which are in the Peace Region.
There are four fires of note in the North, three of which are in the Peace. The Teares Creek wildfire burns just south of McBride. It is 600 ha in size, and is burning in steep, challenging terrain. There is an evacuation order and alert in place.
The Boundary Lake wildfire is on the boundary between Alberta and BC, almost due east of Fort St John. At approximately 1,900 ha and growing rapidly, it is the largest and most active of the fires in the North. Residents in the Goodlow area are being evacuated. “Heavy smoke has impacted the ability of aviation resources to work in the area.”
The Coffee Creek wildfire, just north of Fort St John, is the smallest fire of note at 60 ha, and it is now being held. It was considered a fire of note due to its proximity to highly populated areas. “Rapid response from the Charlie Lake volunteer fire department, BC Wildfire Service crews and aviation resources led to successful structural defense for structures in the immediate area,” writes the Prince George Fire Centre. “Crews are continuing to mop up the fire and it is not expected to grow in size under current conditions.”
The Red Creek Fire, also north of Fort St John, was recently added to the Wildfire of Note List. It is 475 ha in size currently.
A state of local emergency has been declared for Electoral Area B in the Peace River Regional District as a result of the imminent threat to people and property due to wildfire. That includes all areas north of the Peace River, save for an area around Fort St John including parts of Charlie Lake and Baldonnel.
Trent is the publisher of Tumbler RidgeLines.
