Little Bobtail Lake fire crews hoping cooler weather helps contain blaze
Large fire burning southwest of Prince George grew dramatically over the weekend
A massive wildfire near Little Bobtail Lake, which has forced 80 people from their homes, is still burning southwest of Prince George, B.C., but fire crews are hoping cooler weather Monday will help them contain it.
From Saturday to Sunday, the fire jumped in size by 40 per cent, in large part due to unseasonably dry conditions and heavy winds, said Melissa Klassen, a fire information officer with the province's Wildfire Management Branch.
It's now burning more than 24,000 hectares or 240 square kilometres, and is just 15 percent contained.
Monday morning, Klassen said a change of weather was expected to help fight the fire.
"We are expecting lighter winds over the course of today as well as cooler temperatures. As well we're experiencing higher relative humidity numbers, which means there's more moisture in the air," she said.
"All of these things go hand-in-hand with fire suppression efforts."
Meanwhile, the Pelican Lake fire, 80 kilometres northwest of Quesnel, has been completely contained, said fire officials Monday.
Police want public's help finding person responsible
The Little Bobtail Lake fire is believed to be human-caused, and RCMP are looking for the public's help finding who was responsible.
Possible penalties for starting a wildfire are steep, said Klassen. Someone could face up to $1 million in fines, a year in prison, or be held responsible for all associated costs.
More than 300 personnel are on the scene in the Little Bobtail Lake area, with 270 firefighters, 13 helicopters, 22 pieces of heavy equipment and eight air tankers brought in to battle the blaze.
The flames have forced the evacuation of about 80 people living around Norman Lake and Bobtail Lake, while neighbouring residents around Bednesti Lake and Cluculz Lake have been put on evacuation alert.
With files from Idil Mussa and the Canadian Press