Downtrend in wildfire behaviour in northeast B.C.

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Northeast B.C. has been seeing a downtrend in wildfire behaviour due to the colder weather, according to the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS).

Pedro Roldan-Delgado, a fire information officer with the Prince George Fire Centre, says they’ve also seen some precipitation scattered throughout northeast B.C.

He says crews are still working on hotspots in the south to the southwest area of the record-breaking Donnie Creek wildfire.

“With the hotspots they’re finding, they’re not too concerned at the moment; it is just visual smoke, but they’re not anticipating any growth or increase in fire behaviour within the next couple of days,” Roldan-Delgado said.

The Donnie Creek wildfire is approximately 619,072 hectares and remains classified as out of control.

The area restriction around the Donnie Creek wildfire was rescinded on September 28th. 

The fire information officer says crews are still working on the 29,506-hectare Stoddart Creek wildfire in the fire’s northwest corner.

“[They’re] still finding visible smokes, but again, nothing of concern,” Roldan-Delgado said.

The evacuation order for the Stoddart Creek wildfire was rescinded on September 25th, and the evacuation alert was rescinded on September 28th.

The Prince George Fire Centre announced on Wednesday that the open burning ban will be partially rescinded at noon on October 5th. Category 2 and 3 fires are still prohibited in the Dawson Creek, Fort St. John and Fort Nelson fire zones.

Category 2 refers to fires in a pile exceeding two metres in height and three metres in width and stubble or grass over an area that doesn’t exceed 0.2 hectares.

Category 3 burns are fires that are a half-metre high by a half-metre wide (or smaller), cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes.

In addition to category two and three fires, fireworks, sky lanterns, burn barrels or burn cages of any size and binary exploding targets are also prohibited.

Anyone found violating the prohibition may be issued a violation ticket for $1,150, be required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000, or, if convicted in court, may be fined up to $100,000, with a possible jail sentence of one year.

In the Prince George Fire Centre, there are currently 42 active wildfires.

For updates on wildfires, visit BCWS’ website.