The Peta Mountain fire, approximately 20 kms north of Fraser Lake continues to burn but is reported to be 30 per cent contained.
The fire has been burning for more than a week and is currently 250 hectares in size. Eighty-five firefighters, three helicopters, and heavy ground equipment are involved in the fire fighting effort. It is a non-interface fire, so currently there is no threat to property. The Duncan Creek forest service road in the area is closed.
An open fire ban and campfires remain banned in the Northwest fire zone, which includes all of the Lakes District and Southside.
Currently, there are no wildfires of note in the Lakes District. It was a quiet weekend in the Burns Lake area compared to last weekend when Nadina fire zone personnel where called upon to respond to several spot fires.
Rob Krause, forest protection officer for the Nadina fire zone, said that despite efforts to raise public awareness surrounding the dangers of unattended fires during the recent hot, dry spell the region has been experiencing, some campers failed to take the message to heart.
“We dealt with five abandoned campfires - fires still burning - over the long weekend,” Krause said. “They dealt with nine in the Terrace area.”
One of the fires took more than two hours to extinguish after a solo member of the wildfire management branch came upon an abandoned fire which had spread outside the fire pit.
Further to the campfire ban that came into effect Tuesday, August 6, the following are exempted as noted:
Furlong Bay Campground; Lakelse Lake, in designated fire rings or pits, between the hours of 0700-1100 and 1700-2300, Aug. 9, 2013 - Sept. 15, 2013.
Tyhee Lake Provincial Campground; Tyhee Lake, in designated fire rings or pits, Aug. 9, 2013 - Sept. 15, 2013
Kleanza Creek Provincial Campground; in designated fire rings or pits, between the hours of 0700-1100 and 1700-2300, Aug. 9, 2013 - Sept. 15, 2013.
Beaver Point Resort; Tchesinkut Lake, in designated fire rings or pits, Aug. 9, 2013 - Sept. 15, 2013.
The Beaver Point Resort on Tchesinkut Lake was the only local campground to apply for a campfire ban exemption. Campfires remain banned everywhere else in the ban region.
To report a wildfire or unattended campfire, call 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on a cellphone.