BCWS monitors overwintering blazes near Fort Nelson as wildfire season approaches

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Some overwintering wildfires from 2024 in the northeast have already begun smouldering and producing visible smoke.

The BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) and Prince George Fire Centre (PGFC) issued a statement on March 7th, saying they are aware of the smoke being produced by some fires that began in 2024.

“This is expected on fires of considerable size or in areas experiencing ongoing drought conditions,” the statement reads.

Personnel within the fire zone reportedly spent February conducting patrol flights with a focus on the northeast, including Fort Nelson and the surrounding area, in order to assess the state of overwintering fires near the city.

Last year, Fort Nelson had to be evacuated for several weeks due to the Parker Lake wildfire, which is listed as an “under control” overwintering on the BCWS website.

“Based on the information gathered during these flights,” BCWS’ statement reads, “an action plan has been developed, and heavy equipment and personnel have been deployed to start gaining access to priority areas, which will be followed up with wildfire suppression activities.”

Overwintering or ‘holdover’ fires are blazes that begin in one wildfire season and continue burning underground throughout the winter before resurfacing the following season.

“When a holdover fire resurfaces, it is usually contained to a very small part of the previous season’s fire perimeter, and [our] early-season focus is on detection of these spots and suppression in areas along the edges of perimeters,” BCWS says. 

“As we move into the summer months, BC Wildfire will continue to monitor known holdover fires and prepare for the potential impacts of drought conditions in the regions that saw larger fires in the previous season.”

Residents are urged to visit the map on the BC Wildfire Service website for the latest information regarding wildfires in the province.