Cariboo is down to 35 active wildfires

That figure includes just five in the Quesnel fire zone.

There are still a dozen in the Central Cariboo zone and 100 Mile House, and seven in the Chilcotin.

Cooler temperatures and some precipitation have helped fight the fires in recent days.

The Flat Lake fire has increased in size, now up to an estimated 62,895 hectares in size.

But Fire Information Officer Nicole Bonnett says that is due partly to better mapping.

“Three nights ago, there was a little bit of growth.  Most of that growth was sort of within that northwest corner there.  And then just the more accurate mapping now that the smoke has cleared a little bit.  The visibility yesterday (Sunday) was pretty good.   If you were in town it was kind of hard to even notice that there was a fairly large fire to the west of everybody.”

Bonnett says the cooler weather over the last 48 to 72 hours has given crews and heavy equipment an opportunity to do some more direct attack type work.

“Those heavy equipment operators are going to be out there with their machines working to find some new containment lines, and build some new containment lines that are closer to the fire perimeter.  Now that that fire activity has really decreased, it’s safer to move in closer to where the fire perimeter is.”

The Flat Lake fire is one of five wildfires of note that remain in the Cariboo, although the South of Canim Lake wildfire is expected to be removed from that list by tomorrow morning.

Now that most of the evacuation orders and alerts have been lifted, Bonnett would like to remind people that fire fighters, heavy equipment and air resources will still be working in the area.

She asks that people drive slowly and to please contact the Cariboo Fire Centre for information, and to not go out onto the fire line to talk to crew members.

The Churn Creek Protected Area fire is estimated at 6,978 hectares in size.

Fire Information Officer Jessica Mack says they have seen lower fire behavior on that fire recently as well.

“We did do an aerial assessment on this fire yesterday.  This fire has not crossed the Fraser River, and a structural protection unit from Williams Lake had set up structural protection apparatuses on structures in the Gang Ranch area.   However, yesterday the Cariboo Regional District rescinded the evacuation alert for the Gang Ranch area.”

The Big Stick wildfire is up to 72-hundred hectares in size.

Mack says there was a little growth a couple of days ago on the northern and southern flanks.

“The fire did receive some scattered rain throughout the day yesterday but as temperatures increased throughout the day the fire behavior did as well.  So east of Highway 20 fire fighters and heavy equipment are continuing to wrap those excursions from a few days ago.  Fire fighters have established a 10-foot wetline around the northern excursion and continue to make really good progress.”

Finally, the Young Lake wildfire remains at around 6,937 hectares in size.

Mack says crews are going a little bit more direct on the eastern edge of that fire today as well.

She says they are continuing to establish a 30-foot wetline on the southeastern flank.