Massive Wildfire To Get Even Bigger ?

It is believed to be the largest wildfire in the province’s history and it could get even bigger.

What is now being called the Plateau Fire…which includes the Tautri, Chezacut, Baesaeko River and some others…is now listed at a massive 467 thousand hectares and change.

We also have the Hanceville-Riske Creek wildfire burning in the region.

It tops 227 thousand hectares in size and there is a fear that the two could join.

We talked to Shane McCool, the Fire Information Officer in charge of Hanceville-Riske Creek, about the chances of that happening…

“It is a possibility. that said we are looking at of course containing the fire where it is now, but there is a possibility yes, they are less than i believe 20 kilometres between the two fires so that possibility does exist. However, we still have folks working on that other fire and our fire attempting to put guards in place to contain them where they are”.

Getting back to the Plateau wildfire, Ellie Dupont is the Fire Information Officer in charge of the northern portion, says their focus remains on protecting structures in the region…

“They are out there right now falling danger trees, there is a bridge on the 4000 road that is burnt and it is getting replaced today. So they have prepped the area and they are actually moving it into place today so that will get that road open up again. They are building dozer guards mostly in areas all around communities, like Nazko, Kluskus and Titletown and Marmot Lake as well.”

There are more than 400 firefighters, 25 helicopters and 73 pieces of heavy equipment working on the Plateau Fire and the Kluskoil Lake wildfire that has forced the evacuation of Titletown.

Those fires remain roughly 60 kilometres west of Quesnel and about 60 kilometres Northwest of Williams Lake.