2 active fires near B.C. communities

| April 25, 2016 in Weather

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At least 50 fires are burning in the province but just two are raising red flags.

There are two wildfires of note in British Columbia, both currently ablaze in the northeast part of the province.

The Beaton Airport Road fire was about 50 kilometres northwest of Fort St. John on Sunday and has been burning since April 18.

The 7,035 hectare fire is currently active and about 30 per cent contained. According to the BC Wildfire Service website, the fire is in expanded attack.

The Beaton River Airport Road is now open and an evacuation Alert is in effect in the area.

Even though the weather has been cold and wet, the Rank 1 fire has been creeping through areas of dense ground fuels and burning areas which were previously missed because of wind direction and fuel concentration.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. At last update, there were 9 IMT members, 46 BC Wildfire firefighters, BC Hydro personnel and one helicopter working against the fire.

The second major fire, called the Lone Prairie fire, was just 9 kilometres south east of Chetwynd on Sunday afternoon.

The fire, which was also discovered on April 18, is about 745 hectares in size.

It is active, although 80 per cent contained.

According to the BC Wildfire Service website, crews are making excellent progress, working on the north and south flanks of the fire where some heat remains.

At last update there were 24 firefighters on scene fighting the fire. 

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