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China Nose fire continues to burn

Crews have received favourable weather as they continue to battle the blaze 24 hours a day, the fire remains volatile and uncontrolled.
China Nose fire continues to burn
A firefighter from the Wildfire Management Branch helps to contain the China Nose Mountain fire last week. Forest Fires continue to burn throughout the Northwest and the province. An additional eight fires ignited this past weekend

Last week a series of cooler weather and short spouts of rain gave firefighters in the Northwest Fire Centre the opportunity to gain a greater containment on the more volatile fires in the region.

The region within the Northwest Fire Centre, which includes Burns Lake, experienced almost drought like conditions during the last week of July and the first two weeks of August allowing forest fire fuels to dry out and become very ignitable and very combustible.

The fire danger rating has hovered near extreme the entire first half of the month.

The hot temperatures and dry weather caused a number of forest fires to either start or spread.

The two most significant of these fires was the Chelaslie River fire and the China Nose Mountain fire.

Currently in the Northwest Fire Centre's region there are four forest fires burning.

The Eutsuk Lake fire, which is located south of Smithers in the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako's (RDBN) Electoral Area 'E,' was discovered on July 14.

The fire is currently 3750 hectares and is being fought with a modified response technique, which means it is being allowed to burn within a set of parameters set by the Wildfire Management Branch.

Typically, a fire will be classified as a modified response fire if it is determined that a fire will help achieve a particular land management objective and if there is no threat to life or property.

The second fire burning in the region is the Deadwood Lake southwest fire, which is located North of Smithers, near the B.C. and Yukon boarder.

The fire was discovered Aug. 3.

The fire has nearly doubled in size in the past week, from 1600 hectares to 2830 hectares, despite the cooler temperatures.

Just like the fire at Eutsuk Lake, the Deadwood Lake fire is being fought with a modified response technique.

The third fire burning in the Northwest Fire Centre's region is the Chelaslie River fire.

This fire is one of the largest in area in the entire province at an estimated size of 133,771 hectares.

It was discovered on July 8 and started burning near Tweedsmuir park.

Currently there are 284 firefighters, 15 helicopters and 20 pieces of heavy equipment being used to fight the fire.

The heavy equipment is being utilized to established new machine guards and contain new fire perimeters.

As well, firefighters continue to establish new contingency guards and are mopping up spot fires that have started outside of the fire perimeter.

A second Wildfire Management Branch camp has been implemented on the Northern side of the fire.

An evacuation order has been issued for all cabin owners in the Entiako provincial park by B.C. Parks, and the park has been closed, too.

The Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako has upgraded the evacuation alert to an evacuation order on Aug. 13.

The order encompasses the area for the east half of Tetachuck Lake area from the north bank of Uchu Reach, 1.5 km south of Chedakuz Forest Service Road, and for the eastern and southern boundary of the RDBN Electoral Area 'E' (Francois/Ootsa Lake Rural).

An evacuation alert issued Aug. 6 for the areas from Intata Reach at the confluence of Uchu Reach in Electoral Area 'E', to the southern boarder of Electoral Area 'D' (Fraser Lake Rural) at Red Road to Erhorn Creek, north along Erhorn Creek to the Nechako Reservoir, including all the land between the west and east banks at the Nechako Reservoir to Erhorn Creek and from the eastern boundary of Entiako provincial park to the Easter and southern boundaries of Electoral Area 'E', is still in affect.

An evacuation alert has been issued by the Cariboo Regional District, as well.

An area closure order issued by the Wildfire Management Branch Aug. 2 is still in affect.

The closure covers the area from the Kluskus Forest Service Road of the Natalkuz 500 road, south and west of the Kluskus Forest Service Road in to the Vantine, Malaput and Cheakuz areas.

Access restriction has been established at 118 km on the Kluskus Forest Service Road and 77.5 km on Red Road.

The fourth wildfire burning is the China Nose Mountain Fire.

The fire was discovered Aug. 11 and is approximately 3700 hectares in size.

It is considered a top priority fire in the province due to its relative close location to communities between Burns Lake and Houston.

There are currently 166 firefighters, seven helicopters and 16 pieces of heavy equipment being used to battle the blaze.

As well, 40 support staff have been assigned to this fire, including an incident command team and three structural protection units.

The fire is now 40 per cent contained as crews on the North and East flanks of the fire continue to mop up the fire, while crews on the West and South flanks continue to reinforce fire guards and work on containment lines.

A controlled burn was successfully achieved last week, which saw forest fire fuels between the fire and containment lines reduced.

All evacuation orders issued by the RDBN have been rescinded, but an evacuation alert remains in place.

The alert covers the area south from 9840 Heading Creek Forest Service Road, North to Gilmore Lake Forest Service Road and Sunset Forest Service Road intersection, West to Snow Mobile Cabin on Equity Mine Road, East to and including Crow Creek Road beyond the train tracks, East to 22387 and 22507 North, including the entirety of Rose Lake Cutoff Road and Day Lake Road, southern portions of the Forest Dale Canyon Road, the Northern portions of the Maxan Creek Forest Service Road to the Southwest portion of the Decker-Maxan Road, including Bulkley Lake, Day Lake, Elwin Lake and Maxan Lake.

While crews have received favourable weather as they continue to battle the blaze 24 hours a day, the fire remains volatile and uncontrolled.

"This fire is still a large, uncontrolled wildfire, and current weather conditions combined with dry forest fire fuels are conducive to extreme fire behaviour," Mike McCulley, Fire Information Officer for the Wildfire Management Branch on the China Nose Mountain Fire said, "The public is encouraged to stay vigilant at all times."

Campfire bans remain in affect.

To report a wildfire call toll free at 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on a cellphone.