(UPDATE) Series of Wildfires in Fort Nelson zone increase in size.

Update June 2nd, 7:02 p.m.: This article has been updated to increase the size of the wildfires listed in the story.

Update May 29th 6:40 p.m.: This article has been updated to remove mention of an ‘out of control’ wildfire being redesignated as ‘being held,’ as its designation has changes again to ‘out of control.’

FORT NELSON, B.C. — Multiple wildfires ignited last week have each increased in size according to the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS).

Some ‘overwintering’ fires, which means they sparked in a previous wildfire season and smouldered underground throughout the winter before reigniting this year. 

They are in a zone mostly north and northeast of Fort Nelson:

• One fire near the Fort Nelson River is listed at 1,434.27 hectares. Meanwhile another is listed as ‘under control’ at 15 hectares.
• A fire adjacent to the Sikanni River now stands at 118.26 hectares.
• The incident near the Hay River now sits at 135.57 hectares.
• A blaze in Ekwan Creek, originally listed at 30-hectares, now measures at 8.46 hectares.
• Finally an overwintering fire south of Townsoitoi Creek now stands at 1,014.2 hectares.

BCWS suspects all of these incidents were caused by lightning strikes.

These blazes come alongside previously-reported incidents still being tackled by the BCWS in that area, such as one burning 70,000 hectares near Etset Lake and 1,412 hectares south of the Kiwigana River.

The region is currently classified by the BCWS as at an ‘extreme’ risk of wildfires due to the dry temperatures, despite a dip during the weekend.

Energeticcity.ca will update this story as more information becomes available.