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The Venables Valley Fire is burning near Ashcroft. (Photo Credit: B.C. Wildfire Management Branch)
Twelve new wildfires were sparked in the Kamloops Fire Centre Saturday, including three new fires of note due to their visibility and potential threat to public safety.
The first fire of note discovered Saturday was the Venables Valley Fire. It is burning at 28.5 hectares in size south of Ashcroft and west of Highway 1.
The fire was 100 per cent contained Saturday night, but the fire has grown in size and is seeing new activity because of strong winds in the area. Additional air support and personnel are responding to the blaze. There are 27 firefighters, two helicopters, and three air tankers battling the fire.
The second fire of note discovered is located southwest of Barriere, in a location east of Parky Mountain. It is not an interface fire and it is burning vigourously in slash on a steep slope. The fire is estimated at 17 hectares in size and is believed to be lightning-caused.
It is not currently threatening any structures and smoke is visible from Highway 5 and Barriere. Six firefighters, two helicopters, and two pieces of heavy equipment are responding to the blaze.
The biggest fire of note is the Ashnola Road Fire, burning in the South Okanagan north of the Ashnola River. The fire was estimated at 100 hectares in size Saturday night and is not contained.
The fire is burning in a northerly direction up a slope, and the terrain is too dangerous for air tankers to be used. Twenty-three firefighters and three helicopters are responding to the fire.
In total, seven new lightning-caused fires were ignited and five new fires are suspected to be human-caused.
“We have a system that shows us where every single lightning strike hit and if there’s no lightning strikes near the point of origin, then we assume it is person-caused,” said Fire Information Officer Kayla Pepper. “Or, if the point of origin is off to the side of a road or in a heavily populated area, there is a higher likelihood that it was human-caused.”
The seven new fires caused by lightning are likely to be the result of the severe thunderstorms Monday and Tuesday. Lightning that comes with rainfall, like the recent storms, can stay in the ground for up to two weeks before a fire ignites.
“It can smoulder in the ground and once those perfect conditions hit where it’s hot, dry, and often there is some sort of wind in the area, we do see it spark up again,” Pepper said. “Obviously the drier it is, the higher likelihood of that lightning strike causing a wildfire.”
With a forecast of more hot weather without any rain, fire officials are asking the public to take extra precautions when doing any recreational activities outdoors.
“First of all don’t cause any fires, but if you do see one or accidentally cause one just call us because the quicker we can detect it, the quicker we can respond,” Pepper said. “It’s just going to keep getting hotter, dryer, and windier, and every day that it’s compounding on top of another hot and dry day, it does elevate the wildfire risk.”
To report a wildfire, call 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 from a cellphone.
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