The B.C. Wildfire Service is reporting a new fire start between Wasa and Fort Steele, located near Saugum Lake.
The fire was first reported and on the B.C. Wildfire Dashboard in the early afternoon of Tuesday, July 13th. As of 4:00p.m., the fire is listed at 2.10 hectares. The cause is suspected to be lightning.
The Southeast Fire Centre has been reached for comment. More information to follow if and when it becomes available.
There were several new fire starts today within the Southeast Fire Centre, including one in the Rocky Ridge area, listed at 0.01 hectares, one in the Jim Creek area, listed at 0.01 hectares, and one in the Teepee area, listed at 0.10 hectares.
All of the latest information on fires in the area can be found on the B.C. Wildfire Service dashboard. Be sure to download the app on your smartphone and click on the notifications to receive the latest news and fire updates within your selected area.
The B.C. Wildfire Service also posted an update to their Facebook page regarding fires in the Southeast Fire Centre.
The post explains that since April 1, 2021, there have been 209 wildfires in the Southeast Fire Centre, with 69 of those fires currently active. The BC Wildfire Service is aware of these fires and is prioritizing and responding to them accordingly.
“Response officers have assessed and classified some of these fires as modified response or ‘monitor fires’ based on a mix of factors including but not limited to, challenges to crew safety, distance from communities, and inoperable terrain. There are currently visible modified response fires burning in the Cranbrook, Columbia, Arrow, Boundary, and Kootenay Lake zones,” reads the post. “Once a fire has been classified as modified response, a fire analysis is developed. This analysis will identify trigger points that once reached, will prompt officers to reassess the fire and activate a predetermined suppression plan.”
corey.bullock@cranbrooktownsman.com
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