Energeticcity.ca Weekly Review: Our Wildfire Coverage

Welcome to our next installment of Weekly Review, the series where we mention what’s going on behind the scenes and showcase the previous week’s top stories.

If you want to get this review directly in your inbox, all daily newsletter subscribers receive it every Sunday!

Behind the Scenes

Every year, we always keep track of any wildfires in the area. This week, however, we had to pivot due to the sudden change on Monday. In case you missed it, a lot of local communities were put on Evacuation Order and Fort St John was put on Evacuation Alert Monday afternoon due to the weather making it difficult for workers to combat the fire.

Because of this sudden and intense change, our reporters had to be on call all week to provide updates. Sometimes they would be working until past midnight as new information kept coming in. While the Evacuation Alert was eventually lifted for FSJ, our own Jordan Prentice experienced first-hand how quickly things escalated. Here is what she had to say about the situation:

“Since I started closely covering wildfires a few weeks ago, I’ve had some pretty intense experiences in the field. I will note that I have never crossed a road closure or disobeyed RCMP or BC Wildfire Service, but I have found some back routes that have brought me in very close proximity to the Boundary Lake and Stoddart Creek wildfires.

One thing I have noticed with both fires is the wind’s impact on their growth. It’s one thing to read or be told about, but it’s another to witness it firsthand. Last Sunday morning, I drove to see what was happening with the Stoddart Creek wildfire. I took some photos of what it looked like around 9:00 a.m. Then, I went back later that afternoon while filming my video for Energeticcity.ca, and I couldn’t believe the growth. It looked like it had more than doubled in size.

Earlier that day, I tried to get behind the fire while driving along Prespatou Road. I found a dirt road that seemed to come up beside the fire a few kilometres down. A man drove past and told me if I kept driving I could get some good footage of the woods smouldering where the fire had already been. I continued driving and sure enough, I came to the smouldering woods and noticed a few half-burnt trees with tiny flames flickering about 20 feet away from me. I got out of the car and while I was filming, a gust of wind came and the trees burst into flames, and the fire was literally screaming in the wind. Trees started to fall around them. Needless to say, I got out of there very fast. This experience gave me a whole new appreciation for BCWS crews and the work that they do to get these fires under control.”

Jordan was even invited to Global News’ Mornings with Simi to share her experience covering the wildfires. We will continue our wildfire coverage as the season progresses and you can read all those stories here.

Top Stories of the Week

It’s always interesting to see what the readers of Energeticcity.ca are most interested in the region. Sometimes it’s a big decision impacting property taxes, and sometimes it’s a new restaurant coming to town. Here are the top stories for the week of May 14 to 20, 2023:

1. Fort St John Was on Evacuation Alert: due to the Stoddart Creek wildfire on Monday. The alert was rescinded later in the week as crews were able to better assess the situation.
2. Highway 97 Was Closed: due to the wildfires. The BC Wildfire Service then used planned ignitions to help control the Stoddart Creek wildfire which led to it eventually being reopened.
3. Over 6,200 Were Without Power: on Monday. Power was eventually restored later that day.

---

To stay up-to-date on local news and events, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Want to keep local journalism alive? Become a Supporter!