Sunday, July 16, 2023

Cariboo Fire Centre Daily Update - July 16th, 2023

July 16th, 2023 Daily Update from the Cariboo Fire Centre, as follows:

1) Weather Update

Smoke has begun clearing in the Quesnel Zone, allowing aerial resources to fly and we will be able to get a better idea of where the wildfire tracks are. Anticipate we will see some growth on fire sizes due to this, not due to increases on the Gilles Complex.

Today, there will be scattered showers with varying amounts from 5- 10 mms. Unstable conditions are expected due to the upper low and trough.

Monday, there will be cooler temperatures and scattered showers.

Tuesday, the ridge will begin to rebuild, bringing warming and dryings trends. This will dry out any fuels that received rain.

2) Active Wildfires by Zone

a) Central Cariboo Zone (Williams Lake/Cariboo RD Areas D,E,F)

There are 8 active fires in the Central Cariboo Zone. Of these fires, five are Out of Control, four are Being Held, and four are Under Control.

b) Quesnel Zone (Quesnel/Wells; Cariboo RD Areas A,B,C,I)

There are 17 active fires in the Quesnel Zone. Three are Wildfires of Note, and as of July 14, 2023 five of these fires are being managed by an incident management team (IMT).

The Gillies Complex is compromised of the C11290, C11243, C11499, and C11437. Structure protection specialist are supporting wildfires for this complex. Assessments are ongoing and apparatuses will be deployed where it is required.

Townsend Creek (C11290)

Operational Objectives
Control lines have been established and tied into natural features around the entire fire perimeter.

Today, ground crews will continue to reinforce the southeast flank by utilizing hand ignitions to secure the control line by removing unburnt fuels between the fire’s edge and established line.

Crews will also continue to mop up any remaining hot spots within the perimeter of the fire where the successful planned ignition operation took place.

Other Information
Size: 2665 hectares
Detection Date: July 8, 2023
Location: 2.5km East of Margaret Lake

Evacuation Alerts and Orders: The Townsend Creek Area Evacuation Order was extended, and a Baker Creek Evacuation Alert was created on July 11.

Pelican Lake (C11437)
Operational Objectives

On the northern flank of the fire, the fire’s edge has been brought to control line by utilizing hand ignitions. Heavy equipment guard construction has been completed from the park to the Grease Trail around the northern flank of the fire.

Today, ground personnel are creating a hand fuel free guard in the Titetown Park on the southwest flank. Heavy equipment will begin guard construction to continue control line on the southeast flank.

Other Information
Size: 2,700 Hectares
Detection Date: July 9. 2023
Location: 2.5km North of Pelican Lake

Evacuation Alerts and Orders: An Evacuation Order was issued by Cariboo Regional District on July 11.

Teepee Lake (C11499)
Operational Objectives
1427 Division:
Ground crews conducted hand ignitions on the south flank to help tie containment lines from the Nazko road to the Blackwater River. Ground personnel will continue to mop up sections that were burned with planned ignitions previously. Focus will continue to be completing containment lines with the support of heavy equipment and with priority on the northeast flanks. They will utilize natural features to tie in control lines using the road and river.

1499 Division:
Heavy equipment will focus on creating containment lines on the eastern flank of the wildfire. Planned hand ignition will occur on the northeastern flank to secure control lines that have already been established. Structure protection specialists continue to setup apparatuses where required on properties on the southern flank of the wildfire.

Other Information
Size: 2,970 Hectares
Detection Date: July 10, 2023
Location: 4.3km Southeast Teepee Lake

Evacuation Alerts and Orders: The Cariboo Regional District issued an Evacuation Order for the Teepee Lake Area on July 12.

Branch Road (C11243)
Operational Objectives
Heavy equipment will continue to be constructed on the northwest flank and will tie control lines into natural features.

Today, Small-scale hand ignitions will occur on the southeast corner to remove unburned fuels between the fire’s edge and control lines. This will reinforce the control lines that are established to reduce the fire’s ability to spread beyond control lines.

Other Information
Size: 1,182 Hectares
Detection Date: July 7, 2023
Location: West of 7 Branch Road

Evacuation Alerts and Orders: On July 8 The Cariboo Regional District issued an Evacuation Alert for the Branch Road Wildfire.

c) Chilcotin Zone (Cariboo RD Areas J/K)

Chilcotin Zone
There are currently five active fires in the Chilcotin Zone.

Cariboo Fire Centre will be assuming control of G41158 (Gatcho Lake), G41165, G41189, VA1167, VA1456, VA1462.

Gatcho Lake (C41158)
Operational Objectives
Located in the Prince George Fire Centre is being actioned by an IMT in the VanJam Zone.

Other Information
Size: 911.6 Hectares
Detection Date: July 6, 2023
Location: 1.5 kilometre southeast of Gatcho Lake

Anahim Peak (C51571)
Operational Objectives

Yesterday, fire behaviour increased with clear air and resulted in the wildfire crossing the Dean River Road on the eastern flank. This prompted an expansion to the Evacuation Order. The Dean River Road is now closed due to the order.

Control lines are being constructed moving from east and north paralleling the Dean River Road to tie in yesterdays escape.

Heavy equipment is constructing guard that will tie in with the fuel free that the crew is establishing by hand on the east flank. Ground crews will also continue to mop up hot spots along the beef trail on the east flank.

Ground personnel will burn out pockets of fuel to secure control line by bringing the fire’s edge to the control line. Ground personnel are also establishing water delivery systems along east flank to the Dean River.

Other Information
Size: 1120 Hectares
Detection Date: July 11, 2023
Location: Northeast of Anahim Peak

Evacuation Alerts and Orders: The Cariboo Regional District issued an Evacuation Order for this wildfire.

d) 100 Mile House Zone (100 Mile House/Cariboo RD Areas G,H,L)

No active wildfires in this Zone 

Finally -- if residents' see fire activity, of any kind, they are encouraged to contact the BC Wildfire Service by phone at 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on a cell or use the BC Wildfire app for Apple or Android devices to report a fire.

Tips for how to report a fire:

* Estimate distance from where you are to suspected location of wildfire

* Other observations – fire size, type of fuels involved (tree, grass, etc), any infrastructure or homes at risk, terrain of location, nearby water sources

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