UPDATE: BCWS expects “extreme fire behaviour” Monday as Parker Lake wildfire grows

UPDATE (May 14th – 11:20 a.m.) : The Parker Lake wildfire has grown to 8,433 hectares.

FORT NELSON, B.C. — The Parker Lake wildfire near Fort Nelson now exceeds 5,000 hectares, but the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) says it grew very little overnight.

The fire, which ignited Friday, May 10th, is currently listed at 5,280 hectares. According to the latest update from BCWS, the strong winds they expected to reach the area overnight came later than expected.

“Winds were zero to two kilometres per hour and humidifies rose above 50 per cent by the late evening,” the update reads, “which limited fire behaviour for [the Parker Lake wildfire] to a creeping ground fire.”

However, wind speeds have begun to increase throughout the morning Monday, May 13th, and BCWS is forecasting “extreme fire behaviour” for the rest of the day.

BCWS staff say 69 firefighters, 16 helicopters, 17 pieces of heavy equipment, and a “structure protection branch” for protecting buildings and properties are all assigned to the blaze.

Members of the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality (NRRM) Municipal Fire Department are also working to protect structures within Fort Nelson.

BCWS says its structure protection branch is focusing on Fort Nelson First Nation and structures along the Old Alaska Highway.

“BCWS staff continues to work alongside the Northern Rocky Municipal Fire Department as they remain a dedicated task force in their fire protected area,” the update reads.

An evacuation order issued Friday by the NRRM and Fort Nelson First Nation remains in effect, alongside another order issued Monday morning for the Patry Creek and Nogah Creek wildfires.

According to an interview with NRRM Mayor Rob Fraser Saturday morning, nearly all residents had been safely evacuated.

Saturday night, the NRRM issued a warning urging the last remaining residents in Fort Nelson to evacuate, saying there was a serious chance for the blaze to grow significantly over the coming days.

Because of the wildfire, Highway 77 is completely closed. Highway 97 closed north of Fort Nelson last week, and as of right now, is closed between Testa River Regional Park and just north of Prophet River, according to DriveBC.

The wildfire has also knocked out 911 service and disrupted telecommunications in the Yukon and Northern B.C., with officials in the territory asking residents who need help in Whitehorse to go directly to the local RCMP detachment, fire halls or ambulances stationed at various parts of the city. 

Mobile phone service is still operational in Fort Nelson.

Energeticcity will update this article with new information as it becomes available.