Quick action by the BC Wildfire Service Crews and firefighters from the Jaffray Fire Department made a big difference this afternoon as a lightning-caused fire 1.5 kilometres northwest of Rosen Lake is in mop-up.
The fire has been contained – with 100 per cent of the perimeter being “wetlined” and fuel free. A five-person contract crew was on site Thursday to continue mopping up hot spots.
At the height of the action, there were seven RDEK firefighters from Jaffray, a four-person BC Wildfire Service Unit Crew, helicopter and air tender on the fire.
The RDEK would like to acknowledge the work of Fire Chief Dave Boreen and local volunteer firefighters with the Jaffray and Baynes Lake fire departments. The volunteer firefighters have been called out many times this summer to work side by side with B.C. Wildfire Service crews when a fire threatens a community.
Another fire in the Ward Creek area has grown to 110 hectares since being discovered on July 21st.
Located roughly 30 kilometres west of Newgate, the fire is expected to be completely machine-guarded by mid-day Thursday. There is a helicopter doing some bucketing, while 45 personnel are en route, according to Karlie Shaughnessy, a fire information officer with the Southeast FIre Centre.
"The fire danger rating in that area is extreme in that area," Shaughnessy said. "The fire grew real quickly due to strong winds in the area and also because of the dry fuels."
All campfire and open fire bans remain in effect.
"It won't be taken off until we see significant precipitation Centre-wide," Shaughnessy added.
The Ward Creek fire is also generating a lot of smoke which can be visible in the Wardner/Koocanusa region.
Across the SEFC, there are 70 active fires burning. Since April 1st, there have been 372 fires, most of which were lightning caused, however, 49 were human-caused.