The Lhoosk’uz Dene Nation has issued an evacuation alert due to a wildfire in that area.
Kim Wright, a Fire Information Officer at the Prince George Fire Centre, says there was a lot of activity over the weekend.
“A ridge of high pressure did bring unseasonably hot and dry conditions, and with these conditions fire activity on the North Blackwater River wildfire did increase, so it was then classified as out of control on Friday evening. The North Blackwater River wildfire is located within the vicinity of the Lhoosk’uz IR 1 lands. It’s located about 130 kilometres west of Quesnel. This fire did originate in the Prince George Fire Centre but with this increased activity the fire has further grown into the Cariboo Fire Centre.”
Wright says the fire more than tripled in size.
“The fire is currently 2,451 hectares. The majority of that size comes from growth that happened over the weekend. Prior to that increase in activity on Friday evening the fire was 723 hectares.”
Wright says there was some rain on Sunday night however and fire activity has since reduced fire activity.
She says they continue to action the fire with a number of resources.
“Crews from the Prince George Fire Centre are responding to this fire and they are working along side crews from the Cariboo Fire Centre. We currently have 39 fire fighters, five helicopters and a heavy equipment strike team, as well as a structure protection team in place.”
Wright says crews are continuing to establish machine guards and hand lines, and she says they are being reinforced with hose lay.
