Donnie Creek wildfire grows over 500,000 hectares

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The Donnie Creek wildfire is now 506,692 hectares, only 14,320 hectares less than B.C.’s largest wildfire in history, according to BC Wildfire Services (BCWS)

The Plateau wildfire in 2017, which burned within the Cariboo Wildfire Centre, reached 521,012 hectares in size.

Marg Drysdale, a fire information officer with the Donnie Creek Complex, said over 200 BCWS personnel are working on the complex, including 47 firefighters, 11 helicopters, 43 pieces of heavy equipment, and 40 structure protection personnel.

Crews are looking to do a planned ignition near the Alaska Highway corridor near Trutch, which has been in the planning stages for a couple of days.

“They will go out and do a test area, and if the fuels are receptive to it and conditions are right, they will go ahead,” Drysdale said.

If conditions are unfavourable, crews will wait until a more suitable time arises.

She said structure protection personnel have been actively working on the Donnie Creek wildfire, and crews have been working in the Trutch area in preparation for the planned ignition.

Structure protection personnel is also working on the fire’s southeast side and assessing the area for small-scale planned ignitions.

Crews are working on the Beatton, Nig, and Suicide Trail roads and monitoring properties in the Silver Lakes area as well.

Although the fire has grown, the fire has not pushed forward toward the Alaska Highway and remains approximately 2 kilometres away, according to Drysdale.

The Peace River Regional District issued new evacuation alerts and orders for the Donnie Creek wildfire, and an area restriction is still in place.

The Tooga Creek wildfire is about 31,000 hectares, and an evacuation alert remains in place.

For the latest evacuation order and alert information, visit the Peace River Regional District’s and Northern Rockies Regional Municipality’s websites.

There are approximately 33 active wildfires in the Prince George Fire Centre.

For the latest wildfire information, visit BCWS’ website.