Smoky skies leading to cooler weather for Battleship Mountain

HUDSON’S HOPE, B.C. — Battleship Complex incident commander Scott Rennick says smoky skies have led to cooler weather, increased humidity and decreased fire growth.

As winds calmed in the area smoke from the Battleship Mountain wildfire has stayed over the blaze, causing cooler conditions and keeping fire behaviour down.

On the other hand, Rennick says, the lingering smoke causes aviation assistance visibility issues.

Rennick says unit crews are working along the Utah and Table Creek Forest Service Roads to get back to the Johnson Forest Service Road, where the ignition operation was completed over the weekend.

Hand-ignition work along these lines is continuing on Tuesday.

Additionally, crews are beginning to establish water delivery to push the fire into containment off of the Johnson Forest Service Road,

Guards are also being constructed within the next couple of days to establish containment on the south side of the Battleship Mountain wildfire.

Rennick says calm conditions continue today, and their next goal is to get a “burned-out” area on the southeast corner to keep the fire within the containment lines.

The full video update from the BCWS can be viewed here:

The Battleship Mountain wildfire is approximately 28,765 hectares and is classified as out of control.

There are 17 firefighters working during the day and 16 working on night operations.

Additionally, 60 structure protection personnel are assisting operations. Five of these are working on night operations and five are handling “danger trees.”

There are also 15 pieces of heavy equipment and seven additional operational staff working with the equipment.

Twelve helicopters are being shared between the fires of the Battleship Complex.

The District of Hudson’s Hope has declared a state of emergency, and both the district and the Peace River Regional District have issued an evacuation order for the area.

Additional emergency support available in Fort St. John for evacuees has been extended until Sunday, September 18th.

For the latest updates on forest fires in the B.C. Peace click here.