Cooler, moist conditions could aid fight against B.C. forest fires
Fire officials are hopeful that a change in the weather from parched and hot to the cool and moist weekend in the forecast could help their efforts to get control of 13 significant fires around B.C.
But that change brings concerns about lightning strikes associated with the passing weather system — which could spark more fires.
Two of the most significant fires are the Tyaughton Lake fire in the Cariboo region northwest of Lillooet, and the Smith River fire in northeastern B.C.
The hot temperatures and unpredictable winds combined to expand the Tyaughton Lake fire to 20 square kilometres by Friday morning. So far, no homes have been lost, but the forest service says the blaze, which was sparked a week ago, has grown aggressively on the north, east and northwest flanks.
An evacuation order was issued Friday for the Mud Creek area, while evacuation orders for an area around Tyaughton Lake and along Gun Creek Road remain in effect.
Evacuation alerts were issued Friday for the Marshall Lake, Liza Lake and Carol Lake, while residents at Gun Lake, Gold Bridge and Bralorne continue to be on evacuation alert.
Evacuees return, highway reopened
The blaze at the junction of the Smith and Liard rivers west of Fort Nelson have now charred 165 square kilometres of forest, said Jill Chimko, an information officer with the Prince George Fire Centre.
But the fire was not moving in the direction of the three northern B.C. communities of Fireside, Coal River and the Muddy River Indian Reserve, Chimko said Friday.
The 60 people forced from those communities Thursday were allowed to return home but remained on evacuation alert.
The Alaska Highway between Fort Nelson and Watson Lake, closed by the nearby fire on Thursday, was reopened Friday, but crews continue to watch the area, Chimko said.
"The north side of the highway … is still considered uncontained," she said. "But the fire behaviour has definitely gone down from extreme, due to the weather not being as windy as it was yesterday."
Yukon fire information officer George Maratos told CBC News on Friday morning that motorists could still face delays along the highway, so they should drive with caution.
"[The fire] remains at 16,500 hectares, but the forecast winds that they were expecting yesterday weren't as strong as originally thought. And therefore they managed to contain the areas that were affecting the highway travel," Maratos said.