Donnie Creek wildfire now larger than P.E.I.

The Donnie Creek wildfire burning in northeastern British Columbia continues to grow and is now larger than the size of Prince Edward Island, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service. 

Ignited by a suspected lightning strike on May 12, it now covers 5,745 square kilometres with a perimeter of 800 kilometres. Its status remains a wildfire of note, meaning it is highly visible and poses a potential threat to public safety.

The immense size means crews have to be practical about what can be accomplished, selecting to focus on the most critical fronts in the south and northwest corner that could pose a risk to people and structures.

"When you get into a fire of this size, it's really moving from suppression to more wildfire management," said B.C. Wildfire fire information officer Nicole Bonnett. "We're focusing on those priority areas where there's the most potential for impacts to critical infrastructure to communities and to industries."

Twelve helicopters and around 225 personnel — including 166 firefighters and 13 structure protection experts — are currently working the fire. 

"It does mean that there will be portions of the fire that we don't always have people on, but we do have those aerial resources that are helping us monitor fire activity across the whole fire itself," said Bonnett.

The Donnie Creek wildfire is easily the largest ever recorded in B.C. It is expected to burn through the fall and into winter. Because of its size, it will continue to burn underground in places, only to resurface next spring. 

"We have what we call holdover in the winter where once snow falls it creates a bit of an insulation layer," said Bonnett. "There's still the potential that fire is burning deep underground in root systems, so once the snow comes off in the spring and things start to dry out, you'll see smoke pop up."

The fire is located approximately 136 kilometres southeast of Fort Nelson and 158 kilometres north of Fort St. John and is burning in the traditional territories of the Blueberry River First Nations, Doig River First Nation and Prophet River First Nation.