UPDATE: Aug. 14
A wildfire burning near Pemberton has grown by 75 hectares.
BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) was having difficulty getting an accurate size of the wildfire due to cloud cover and heavy smoke in previous days.
As of 10:38 a.m. Wednesday, the Birkenhead Lake wildfire is 435 hectares, a jump from Tuesday's 360 hectares.
"Crews are actioning fuel modification objectives at the southwest end of Birkenhead Lake,” says an information officer with BCWS.
The fire remains east of Sockeye Creek and is burning out of control.
A helicopter, 25 firefighters and seven operational field staff are responding to the fire on Wednesday.
ORIGINAL: Aug. 13
A much-welcomed break in the weather is on its way over wildfires burning near Pemberton but time will tell if the rain can aid in the firefight.
Kimberly Kelly, fire information officer at BC Wildfire Service (BCWS), flew over the Pemberton zone on Aug. 12 to get a look at the wildfires.
As of Tuesday, four wildfires were burning out of control in the area.
The Rutherford Creek wildfire is 56 hectares in size and crews are working on the northeast flank.
"We have been able to establish road access and a water source. So equipment is moving in today to bring water to the fire,” says Kelly.
Meanwhile, three helicopters are working on the south flank, where there's steep and rocky terrain that's not suitable for heavy equipment or crews.
“We are making progress there. We are not anticipating any significant growth on that fire,” she says.
Heavy smoke and cloud cover around the Birkenhead Lake wildfire are making it difficult for crews to get an update on the size of the blaze.
"We are looking to get a track on it, to get an updated size, but at this point, we're just waiting for enough visibility to really be able to see it,” says Kelly.
The wildfire is smouldering, burning rank one or two behaviour, with some isolated tree candling. It was last mapped at 360 hectares.
“We are expecting some growth on this fire,” says Kelly.
Birkenhead Lake Provincial Park has been closed to the public since Aug. 8 due to the fire. The public is being asked to stay clear of the area and also the lake.
Environment Canada says rain is expected on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and will continue through Sunday. Kelly says rain can reduce fire behaviour or prevent spread, but it’s a prediction, not a promise.
“It really depends on where the rain falls and how much is received,” she says.
BC Wildfire Service said more than a dozen fires started due to a lightning event on Aug. 5 and there is still a risk of lightning in the area.
“We've seen about just over 600 lightning strikes in the last 72 hours in the Coastal Fire Centre,” says Kelly.
It can take a few days for a wildfire from a lightning strike to show up and BCWS is continuously monitoring for new starts.
Kelly appreciates all the people who have reported wildfires and says the public’s participation in detecting and reporting wildfires is crucial.
“Forty per cent of our wildfires are actually detected and reported by the public, and it does make a significant impact on us getting into those fires and our initial attack success,” she says.
Anyone who sees a wildfire is asked to contact BCWS immediately at 1-800-663-5555 or text *5555.
