B.C.’s Elaho wildfire caused by lightning, fire investigator determines

After a thorough investigation by a specialized fire cause investigator, British Columbia’s Wildfire Management Branch (WMB) determined on Wednesday that the Elaho wildfire was caused by lightning, not people, as previously believed.

The fire is burning about 67 kilometres west of Pemberton and is currently 40% contained. According to the WMB, the fire, estimated at about 700 hectares in size, is in very steep and inaccessible terrain in thick forest.

The investigation assessed a variety of information, including weather station data when the initial phone reports were received, fuel types in the area and an analysis of fire spread patterns, to help determine the fire’s site of origin, the Ministry of Environment said in a press release.

This type of lightning-caused fire is known as a “holdover” fire, the ministry explained. In the case of the Elaho wildfire, a gradual warming trend occurred in the area that would have allowed a smouldering, lightning-caused fire to grow and finally become visible. “The Elaho wildfire demonstrates how dry fine fuels on the forest floor, such as dried needles, leaves and twigs, can contribute to the growth of a wildfire.”

Related: “Extreme” wildfire near Pemberton, B.C. has grown to about 650 hectares

On Tuesday, the environment ministry warned that smoke from several lightning-caused wildfires may drift into communities in northwest B.C. over the coming week. There are currently four active wildfires in the Cassiar Fire Zone being monitored by WMB personnel:

• The Langhorse Mountain fire has burned 3,343 hectares near the headwaters of the Nakina River, about 70 kilometres (km) southeast of Atlin;

• The King Salmon River Basin fire has burned 2,730 hectares within the Taku River/T’éix Conservancy, about 90 km southeast of Atlin;

• The Inklin River fire has burned 474 hectares within the Nakina-Inklin Rivers/Yáwu Yaa Conservancy, about 90 km southeast of Atlin; and

• The Red River fire has burned 1,038 hectares within the Ne’h’ Conservancy, about 65 km southeast of Watson Lake.

Smoke may disperse hundreds of kilometres from its source. Smoke from fires in the Cassiar Fire Zone, along with smoke from fires burning outside of B.C., may be visible in communities near the B.C.-Yukon border.