Lightning ignites new fire north of 2,000-hectare Lower East Adams Lake blaze

Firefighters at Adams Lake have another blaze to contend with.

The Taylor Creek wildfire was discovered Wednesday evening on the lake’s east side, south of Momich Lakes Park. As of late Thursday morning, July 27, the fire was estimated to be .1 hectares in size. Lightning was the suspected cause.

Southeast of the Taylor Creek fire, the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) maintained aerial efforts to control the 2,000-hectare Lower East Adams Lake fire.

Late Thursday afternoon, the Shuswap Emergency Program (SEP) issued an update on the fire and the work being done. Reduced fire behaviour was supporting firefighting efforts and, according to the BCWS, there was no expectation of fire behaviour increasing at the time.

“The reduction in fire behaviour is allowing BCWS to attack the fire more directly with air resources,” said SEP. “This means aircraft are better able to work on the front of the fire, helping to reduce its spread.”

Two heavy-life helicopters continued with bucketing operations on the fire. The steep terrain makes it unsafe for ground firefighting crews.

SEP said BCWS was working with Interfor, a forestry company with interests in the area, to create a strategy for machine guards on the northwest to northeast flanks where feasible.

Seven helicopters were assigned to the Adams complex of wildfires, which include the Rossmoore Lake, Lower East Adams Lake and East Bush Creek wildfires. Meanwhile structure protection crews remain in areas south of the Bush Creek fire under evacuation alert, planning and triaging the area for the set-up of sprinkler resources.

“BCWS notes where there is direct sunlight, there remains a potential for fuels to dry out and for fire activity to ramp up,” cautioned SEP.

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