Evacuees try to stay strong as Battleship Mountain wildfire rages
Scan used to identify perimeter, hot spots of Battleship Mountain blaze, wildfire service says
Residents of a northern B.C. town threatened by wildfire hope they will be able to return home soon.
The Battleship Mountain wildfire is burning approximately eight kilometres from Hudson's Hope — about 520 kilometres north of Prince George — and four kilometres of the W.A.C. Bennett Dam.
Diana Jewan says she is anxious to return to the place she's called home for nearly 30 years.
"It's an amazing community and I love it very much and I want to live there," she said. "And I want my son and his little family to live there too."
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The fire has grown to nearly 300 square kilometres, or nearly twice the size of Salt Spring Island.
The B.C. Wildfire Service says an infrared scan was done late Tuesday in an effort to confirm the perimeter of the out-of-control blaze.
Fortunately for residents, the scan found barriers protecting the town and the dam are holding.
"Morale is staying high," Sarah Hall with the B.C. Wildfire Service said. "Crews are continuing to work and achieve objectives."
The southeast flank is still burning, and dry weather conditions are the main concern as winds are expected to shift direction, according to the wildfire service.
WATCH | B.C. Wildfire Service provides update on the Battleship Mountain blaze
"It's been extremely dry in the Peace region. There hasn't been a lot of rainfall over the entire summer and we don't have any precipitation in the forecast," B.C. Wildfire Service spokesperson Shannon Street told CBC News Wednesday.
B.C. Hydro is closely monitoring the fire burning just four kilometres from the W.A.C. Bennett Dam. Nineteen oil and gas companies also have operations close to the wildfire.
The B.C. Oil and Gas Commission says some wells closest to the fire have been shut and oil and gas companies are in close contact with wildfire officials.
Evacuation orders are in place until at least Sunday with many hoping they'll be able to return soon after.
"Everybody who prays, say your prayers," Jewan said. "Anybody who wants to do a rain dance, go for it."
Air quality advisories still in effect
The District of Hope and Fraser Valley Regional District lifted orders and alerts posted last weekend along the south side of the Fraser River west of Hope, as lower temperatures and light showers calmed the fire, although the wildfire service says it remains out of control.
The fire has generated significant amounts of smoke and, along with a large fire east of Hope, another in southeast B.C., and others in Washington state and Idaho, is blamed for affecting air quality across large parts of B.C. and Alberta, with conditions not expected to improve until Friday or later.
As of Wednesday morning, air quality advisories remained in effect from Vancouver Island to southeast Alberta.
With files from Jon Hernandez, Betsy Trumpener and The Canadian Press