Wildfire Update: May 22nd, 2024

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Below is up-to-date information on notable wildfires in northeast B.C. as of May 22nd.

According to a post on X, formerly Twitter, the BC Wildfire Service reported no new fire starts in the entire Prince George Fire Centre region during the May long weekend, partly due to cooler weather and precipitation throughout the region.

For information on all the wildfires in the province, visit BCWS’s website. 

‘Out of Control’ wildfires:

BCWS describes an ‘out of control’ wildfire as “a wildfire that is spreading or anticipated to spread beyond the current perimeter or control line.”

Parker Lake

The Parker Lake fire is currently 12,348 hectares in size. Click here for Energeticcity’s latest story on this wildfire.

BCWS has designated the fire as a ‘wildfire of note,’ meaning it is “highly visible or threatens public safety.”

Nogah Creek, Patry Creek, and Fontas area

The Nogah Creek wildfire, located east of Fort Nelson, is 83,759 hectares, while the wildfire in the Patry Creek area north of Fort Nelson is 74,344 hectares.

A third fire, located south of Nogah Creek and near Fort Nelson First Nation, is in the Fontas area. The fire is currently 30,324 hectares.

The wildfires are holdover fires from 2023, which smouldered underneath snow during the winter. BCWS suspects lighting caused the fires to re-ignite.

The Patry Creek wildfire, like the wildfire in Parker Lake, has been designated by the BCWS as a ‘wildfire of note.’

DriveBC says both Highway 77 to the Northwest Territories border and Highway 97 north of Wonowon to the north of Fort Nelson are closed in both directions.

Komie Lake

A lightning strike is suspected to have caused the fire in Komie Lake, located east of Fort Nelson.

The fire remains at 10,894 hectares in size.

BCWS says a full response has been taken to combat this fire.

After smouldering throughout the winter, it was re-ignited on May 10th.

An evacuation order has not been issued for this fire.

Kome Yoyo Bypass

Located east of Fort Nelson, the wildfire in Kome Yoyo Bypass had a total area of 5,650 hectares as of May 22nd.

BCWS says the suspected cause of the fire is lightning.

A full response has been given to this fire, the BCWS says.

Gote Creek/Tsea River

The wildfire in the Gote Creek/Tsea River area stands at 37,852 hectares.

This is a holdover wildfire from 2023, with the fire smouldering underneath the snow during the winter.

Lightning caused the fire to re-ignite on May 11th, according to the BCWS.

Petitot River

A holdover fire from 2023, the Petitot River wildfire located northeast of Fort Nelson, is suspected to have been re-ignited by lightning on May 11th.

The BCWS says the fire remains at 13,740 hectares.

No evacuation orders have been placed as a result of this fire.

Wildfires ‘being held.’

The wildfire service defines a fire being held as a fire “based on fuel, weather conditions and resource availability, to remain in the current perimeter, control line or boundary.”

Doig River First Nation

The wildfire, located near the borders of Doig River First Nation, northeast of Rose Prairie, has remained at 650 hectares in size.

BCWS says the suspected cause is human activity.

Evacuation orders were issued by the First Nation and the Peace River Regional District soon after the fire was discovered, but as of Monday, those orders have been rescinded.

Evacuation alerts still remain in effect in case the fire worsens.

Wildfires ‘under control.’

BCWS defines an under-control wildfire as “a wildfire that is not projected to spread beyond the current perimeter.”

Cameron Lake

The Cameron Lake wildfire, which was previously reported as being held, was brought under control over the weekend, according to BCWS.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the fire service says precipitation over the weekend helped bring the 295-hectare blaze under control.

No evacuation alerts or orders were issued as a result of the blaze. BCWS lists human activity as a result of the fire.