Crews from BC Wildfire Services will be taking full advantage of this week’s downturn in weather conditions to further establish control of the Puntzi Lake Wildfire.
Fire Information Officer, Kelsey Winter says favorable weather in the last few days has allowed crews to make progress.
“Before we received the rain, direct attack of the fire was really impossible.”
“Now because of the rain that we’ve been receiving and the cooler temperatures and higher relative humidity, we’ve seen a real decrease in fire activity so we’ve been able to on the ground; the crews, direct attack the fire along the perimeter.”
The fire which is burning on the north side of the Lake was estimated at over 8,000 hectares Monday afternoon.
Winter says crews’ main objectives were to reinforce the guard (establishing containment around the perimeter of the fire), cooling hot-spots around the structures and homes around the lake, and working on establishing water systems throughout the wildfire.
A fire meanwhile about 10 km south of Riske Creek at Bald Mountain was holding Monday morning at approximately 640 hectares and was 30% contained.
She cautions although the fire danger is now in at low to moderate within the Cariboo Fire Center, it can only take a few days of hot and dry weather for it to climb back up to extreme.
“We just really want to remind the public that even though we’ve seen the rain, the fuel is still very dry-it’s only the top levels that are wet so they really need to still be careful with any of their fire use outdoors.”
Campfires, as well as open burning and fireworks, remain prohibited throughout the province.