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Wildfire burns across Montana border into B.C.

Wildfire burning in the B.C. side of the Flathead Valley estimated at 620 hectares
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The Weasel Creek wildfire has burned across the Montana border and into the B.C. portion of the Flathead Valley.Photo courtesy BC Wildfire Service.

A wildfire that started in Montana has burned across the Canadian border into the southern interior of B.C., according to the BC Wildfire Service.

Estimated at 620 hectares on the Canadian side and 880 hectares in total, The Weasel Creek wildfire was designated a Wildfire of Note by fire officials on Friday evening and is burning in the Flathead Valley, approximately two kilometres west of Frozen Lake and 39 kilometres southeast of Baynes Lake.

It is the third Wildfire of Note currently burning in the Southeast Fire Centre.

An incident management team assigned to the Connell Ridge wildfire currently burning south of Cranbrook is working with U.S. fire officials to plan fire response and share resources as required.

As of Saturday morning, the Connell Ridge fire is estimated at 1,350 hectares, having grown approximately 200 hectares over Friday and fire behaviour is expected to increase over the weekend as temperatures heat up.

The north and northeast section of the fire is burning in steep and inoperable terrain, but machine guard is being built from the southeast to southwest corners as a containment line. Crews are also determining where to put containment lines on the east and northwest flanks.

There are 61 firefighters and six helicopters assigned to fire response, while 32 pieces of heavy equipment are also site.

An evacuation alert issued by the RDEK for six properties remains in place, while an area restriction was also implemented on Friday, restricting public access to the backcountry area around the fire.



Trevor Crawley

About the Author: Trevor Crawley

Trevor Crawley has been a reporter with the Cranbrook Townsman and Black Press in various roles since 2011.
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