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The growing blaze near Prince George is estimated to be roughly 17,000 hectares, though it gained little ground overnight.
The Little Bobtail Lake Fire near Prince George grew from about 13,000 hectares to 17,000 hectares on Friday, but thankfully the growth was minimal overnight. The fire is now 20 per cent contained, though zero per cent guarded. The containment lines held overnight along the northern and eastern flanks, while the southeast corner is still holding. The blaze is very visible from Highway 16.
Photo Credit: BC Wildfire Management Branch
BC Wildlife reported on Friday night that the fire had gotten close to structures on Graveyard Lake and Little Bobtail Lake, though there was no loss of structures.
There’s supposed to be an increase in winds until later Saturday afternoon, with wind speeds up to 20-25 km/h and potential gusts up to 50km/h. Temperatures are supposed to be slightly lower.
Photo Credit: BC Wildfire Management Branch
A fire camp has been established and is fully operational. A total of 190 firefighters are at work at the blaze, as well as 11 helicopters, 23 pieces of heavy equipment, and 8 airtankers. On Friday, more than 250,000 litres of water were dumped from airtankers. On Saturday, aircraft will continue to support crews on the ground by cooling down spot fires, reinforcing dozer lines, and supporting safety routes for crews.
The evacuation order is still in effect, affecting 80 people. Details on evacuation orders and alerts in the Norman Lake area can be found here. Both Dahl Lake Provincial Park and Bobtail Mountain Provincial Park are closed to all recreational users.
The fire was first reported on Friday, May 8th and the cause is under investigation.
Photo Credit: BC Wildfire Management Branch
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