The BC Wildfire Service says its personnel are responding to 18 active wildfires throughout the Southeast Fire Centre. Although some wildfires are visible from surrounding communities, none is threatening communities or structures.
In a news release, the Wildfire Service said due to the remote location of some of these wildfires, it is monitoring but not actively suppressing them.
They include:
* A 70-hectare wildfire is burning on Winter’s Peak in the Purcell Wilderness Conservancy on the northeast side of Kootenay Lake. Although this wildfire is burning in a remote area at a high elevation, smoke from this fire is visible from Kaslo, Argenta, and Johnsons Landing.
* Smoke from a 70-hectare wildfire burning on the east side of Duncan Lake in the Glacier Creek area may be visible from Meadow Creek.
* A one-hectare wildfire is burning in extremely rough terrain five kilometres northeast of Galena Bay, in the Mackenzie Creek area. Due to potential danger to first responders, this fire will be closely monitored.
With hot and dry conditions forecast through next week and the potential for more thunderstorms this afternoon and evening, the Southeast Fire Centre is urging the public to be extra cautious.
The Southeast Fire Centre is currently experiencing very dry conditions and elevated fire danger ratings. The fire danger rating is high to extreme throughout the region. Campfires are prohibited throughout the Southeast Fire Centre.
From April 1 until today, the Southeast Fire Centre has responded to 131 wildfires that have burned 286 hectares. Ninety-one of these fires were caused by lightning, while the remaining 40 were human-caused. Last year on this day, a total of 49 fires had burned 316 hectares.
