Donnie Creek wildfire no longer a wildfire of note after days of rain

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — After a few days of rain, the BC Wildfire Service no longer considers the Donnie Creek wildfire a wildfire of note.

Sharon Nickel, a fire information officer with the Prince George Fire Centre, said the guidelines for classifying wildfires of note are no longer present for the fire, part of the Donnie Creek Complex.

She said the decision to classify a wildfire as a wildfire of note could be prompted by a few factors, like a significantly large fire, a fire visible from a highway or a community, if infrastructures could be threatened or if infrastructures have already been damaged by the fire. The decision is made in partnership with local authorities.

“When we downgrade that decision, which is also made in the fire centre, we look at a combination of things, including fire activity and behaviour,” Nickel said. “If that’s decreased sufficiently to no longer be a threat to community or infrastructure, typically, if we see all the evacuation orders and alerts to the fire being lifted.”

Due to these factors, Nickel said the Donnie Creek wildfire is no longer classified as a wildfire of note. However, the approximately 583,153-hectare wildfire is still considered out-of-control.

Nickel said in the days leading up to the long weekend, the fire’s southeast flank received nearly 90 millimetres of rain, which allowed crews to focus on the southwest corner.

On Wednesday, about 20 unit crews, one piece of heavy equipment and two helicopters were assigned to the Donnie Creek Complex.

The Donnie Creek Complex comprises the Donnie Creek, Klua Lakes, Muskwa River, Zaremba Creek, Beatton River, Milligan Hills, Fontas River and Kahntah River wildfire.

The Tooga Creek wildfire is approximately 41,883.2 hectares, and an evacuation alert remains in place for the area.

The area restriction around the South Peace Complex was rescinded in July.

The air quality is at a low risk in Fort St. John. The latest information on air quality can be found on the Government of Canada’s website.

For the latest information on evacuation orders and alerts, visit the Peace River Regional District’s, Tumbler Ridge’s and Northern Rockies Regional Municipality’s websites.

For the latest wildfire information, visit BCWS’ website.