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B.C. fire crews battling five new wildfires


May 22, 2015   by Canadian Underwriter


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The Wildfire Management Branch (WMB) of British Columbia’s Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations reported on Thursday that it is responding to five new wildfires in the Prince George Fire Centre. The blazes come at a time when WMB crews and support personnel are already “very busy” fighting the Little Bobtail Lake fire southwest of Prince George, the branch said in a press release.

The wildfires come at a time when fire crews are already battling the Little Bobtail Lake fire. Photo: @BCGovFireInfo

The new incidents include a 250-hectare fire near Prophet River, east of the Alaska Highway, a six hectare fire southwest of Miworth; and a one-and-a half-hectare fire south of Mackenzie. The 250-hectare fire, about 90 kilometres southeast of Atlin is a lightning-caused fire within the boundaries of the Nakina-Inklin Rivers/Yáwu Yaa Conservancy in a remote area that is accessible only by air.

Fire management crews, air tankers and helicopters are responding to the incidents, and no structures are immediately threatened by any wildfires, the WMB reported in the press release.

Related: Winds uncooperative as hundreds of firefighters battle raging B.C. wildfire

“The current fire danger rating in the Prince George Fire Centre is high with large areas of extreme fire danger near Mackenzie and across the northeast of the province,” the press release said. “There is a heightened risk of wildfire due to an extended period of high temperatures and low precipitation, so the Wildfire Management Branch is urging anyone entering the backcountry to exercise extreme caution.”

More than 300 fire personnel responded to the Little Bobtail Lake fire

The new fires came on the heels of the Little Bobtail Lake fire, about 70 kilometres southwest of Prince George. As of May 19, the blaze was at 250 square kilometres and remained unpredictable because of the wind. More than 300 personnel were assigned to the fire, including 270 firefighters, 13 helicopters, 22 pieces of heavy equipment and eight air bombers. The fire was believed to have been human-caused.


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