BC Wildfire Service firefighters have made good progress on many of the lightning-caused wildfires that started in the Southeast Fire Centre over the past week.

Since Monday, Aug. 29, BC Wildfire Service crews have responded to 23 such wildfires. Many of them are still highly visible in the area, but none is currently threatening any structures or communities.

• The three separate fires burning about 12 kilometres south of Boswell in the Sanca area (east of Kootenay Lake) are either in the mop-up or patrol stages, with the exception of the wildfire burning closest to Sanca Creek. Airtankers, a helicopter and 16 ground crews are currently working on this 2.2-hectare fire.
• The two small wildfires burning about five kilometres north of Queens Bay (in the Coffee Creek region west of Kootenay Lake) are 100% contained and are in the patrol stage.
• The wildfire south of Champion Lakes Provincial Park is 100% contained and is in the patrol stage. The fire on Mount Heinze (east of Birchbank) is also 100% contained and is in the mop-up stage.
• Five BC Wildfire Service firefighters and one water tender are currently responding to a 0.9-hectare wildfire on Keystone Mountain (northwest of Salmo).
• One initial attack crew and a helicopter are currently responding to a 0.3-hectare wildfire west of Ymir.
• Airtankers are currently responding to a 20-hectare wildfire burning west of Slocan Park, in the Wolverton Creek area. This fire is located in steep, difficult terrain and while it is highly visible to residents of the area, it is not threatening any structures.

Since April 1, 2016, the BC Wildfire Service has responded to 181 wildfires in the Southeast Fire Centre, 51 of which were human-caused.

The fire danger rating in most of the Southeast Fire Centre is currently “high”, with some areas in the Arrow, Kootenay Lake and Cranbrook fire zones rated “extreme”.

The Southeast Fire Centre extends from the U.S. border in the south to the Mica Dam in the north and from the Okanagan Highlands and Monashee Mountains in the west to the B.C.-Alberta border in the east. This includes the Selkirk and Rocky Mountain natural resource districts.

For information on air quality, including smoke forecasts for Western Canada, visit the BC Air Quality website: www.bcairquality.ca/bluesky/west/index.html

To report a wildfire, unattended campfire or open burning violation, call *5555 on a cellphone or 1 800 663-5555 toll-free. For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, visit: www.bcwildfire.ca

You can also follow the latest wildfire news:

• on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo
• on Facebook at: http://facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo