Latest
- The teams are fighting fires in the community of Kelly Lake, BC, as the Kiskatinaw Lake forest fire out of control moves quickly to Alberta.
- Fogatas have been prohibited in the Dawson Creek, Fort St. John and Fort Nelson regions.
- A volatile forecast that lasts during the weekend could lead to fast openings and the spread of new and existing fires.
- Travelers are urged to verify DRIVEBC, since the flames from the Summit Lake fire threaten the Alaska road.
- The updates of this story are published in reverse chronological order, then.
‘Fire can be fatal,’ the regional district warns, since some choose to stay
Andrew Kurjata | Last update: Thursday at 4:08 pm PT
The Regional District of Peace River has issued a warning marked to a handful of people who have chosen not to follow an evacuation order in the Kelly Lake region of BC, telling them that they could be trapped or killed by incoming flames.
“The rescue of trapped residents may not be possible,” said the district in a statement. “The fire cannot be contained, and the first to respond may be forced to abandon the area due to intensification conditions. This means that the fire can be fatal for those on their way. We strongly urge everyone to leave now.”
Shelley Caillou, cultural coordinator of the Kelly Lake Crete nation, told CBC News that some 10 people have chosen to remain in the community, most of which, he said, they have a fire fighting experience.
BC’s forest fire service says that the Kiskatinaw Lake forest fire is now more than 70 square kilometers and is expected to grow even more as winds and dry conditions persist.
‘It’s my home’: Evacuee cares about the lost story if Kelly Lake Arde
Andrew Kurjata | Last update: Thursday at 4:08 pm PT
Shelly Caillou, Cultural Coordinator of the Nation Kelly Lake CREE, has spent the last week living in a hotel in Dawson Creek since she was forced to her home due to Kiskatinaw Creek’s forest fire.
Among the articles he expects to survive is the paperwork that he has documenting the history of his family and people.
Kelly Lake Cree is in a long political and legal battle that dates back to decades to obtain recognition as an independent first nation.
A great forest fire is moving east to the bc-alberta border. The teams are working to protect the BC community of Lake Kelly.
Although they occupy territory shared by Treaty 8 and 6 nations treaty, the Kelly Lake Cree nation was not part of those negotiations, they say, because government officials could not reach them due to high waters.
Later they were labeled as a settlement of Methis in the 1970s, something that Calliou says it was a mistake.
“We are sovereign people,” he said.
He worries that if parts of the community are lost, Kelly Lake Crea cannot be treated as equal partners in reconstruction, despite occupying it for decades.
“This is my home,” he said.
New evacuation alert north of Fort St. John
Andrew Kurjata | Last update: Thursday at 3:05 pm PT
The Regional District of Peace River has issued a new evacuation alert, this for the Pocket Knife Creek forest fire that burns north of Fort St. John.
It focuses mainly on the area between Mile 170 and 180 on the 97 North Highway, better known as the Alaska Highway.
There are not many houses in the area, but there is some industry around the Buckinghorse river.
According to the BC Wildfire Service service board, the fire is 7,733 square hectares, or 77.3 square kilometers of size and was first discovered on May 19 and was started by lightning.
The fire moves towards Lake Kelly and goes to Alberta
Andrew Kurjata | Last update: Thursday at 1:12 pm PT
BC’s forest fire service says that the Forest Fire of Lake Kiskatinaw moved to the Kelly Lake community, home with about 70 people.
Earth and air teams are working to protect the houses, says the service.
“Our main priority is the protection of human life and property,” said fire information officer Karley Derosiers, who described the conditions as “very aggressive, very challenging” such as the winds of the West up to 60 km/h.
She said that the fire had doubled its size on Monday and has progressed since then, and it is expected to cross alberta imminently, where there are also evacuation orders and alerts in the County of Grande Prairie. Alberta officials say that approximately 53 residences are covered by order and 86 by the alert, mainly farms and rural properties.
The Logosiers warned that the worst is yet to come, since a cold front on Friday is followed by growing temperatures, strong winds and the possibility of a storm during the weekend.
The video shared with CBC News shows a series of helicopters in nearby formation flying over houses to collect water as undulating smoke in the background.
BC’s forest fire service said people should not wait to see smoke or fire before evacuating.
The forest fire has also forced the evacuation of 110 civic directions near the border of BC-Alberta and closed the 52 East Highway. Most of the affected people are from Kelly Lake, which was evacuated last Friday.
In an update on Thursday morning, the service said that firefighters from several fire departments throughout the province are working with their crews to prepare sprinkle systems to defend buildings.
More than 100 personnel and 12 helicopters are assigned to the fire, which covered almost 74 square kilometers from 8:30 am on Thursday.
Strong winds anticipated until the weekend
Andrew Kurjata | Last update: Thursday at 12:29 PM PT
The forest fire service said the winds would strengthen Thursday before an incoming weather system that is expected to generate ridiculous winds of 70 km/h that could last until the weekend.
“The extreme behavior of fire is anticipated in these conditions,” warned the forest fire service.
The authorities say that the volatile climate, which includes a cold front, thunderstorms and strong winds, has the potential to feed new and existing fires throughout the northeast, particularly with wind bursts of up to 70 kilometers per hour of prognosis for the coming days.
“After a period of warm and dry conditions, these strong winds are expected to boost the behavior and growth of extreme fire to the east in all forest fires within Dawson Creek’s fire zones, Fort St. John and Fort Nelson,” said the BC Infire Wildfire service in a bulletin on Wednesday night.
“With these conditions, there is also a greater potential for the new beginnings of winter fires, particularly in the Fort Nelson Fire Zone.”
Prohibited fires throughout the northeast
Andrew Kurjata | Last update: Thursday at 10:44 am PT
The fires are prohibited in the Northeast of BC from noon on Thursday while the officials prepare for a challenging weekend of high temperatures and gusty winds of up to 70 kilometers per hour.
The prohibition, which also applies to the flashlights of the sky, fireworks and burns of burns, is in force in the Fort St. John, Dawson Creek and Fort Nelson fire zones. It does not apply to the municipalities, which establish their own rules around prohibitions, but applies to all campsites and field areas.
There are also more limited prohibitions in the rest of the province.
Alaska road trip trips affected by fire
Andrew Kurjata | Last update: Thursday at 10:44 am PT
The other forest fire, apart from Kiskatinaw, is the Fire Summit Lake, which covers about 26 square kilometers along the Alaska road to the west of Fort Nelson.
He is currently not threatening the community, but has been affecting travel on the Alaska road, and officials warn people who take the route to maintain constant control of current conditions through DRIVEBC and have in mind the backup plans and deviations as conditions remain unpredictable.
