BC Wildfire Service personnel are responding to 18 active wildfires throughout the Southeast Fire Centre. Although some wildfires are visible from surrounding communities, none of these fires is immediately threatening communities or structures.

Due to the remote location of some of these wildfires, a “modified response” strategy is being used where appropriate. This means that BC Wildfire Service personnel carefully monitor the fire’s activity to ensure that it remains within a specific area and meets land management guidelines.

Three of these modified response wildfires are located in the Kootenay Fire Zone and Arrow Lake Fire Zone:

• A 70-hectare wildfire is burning on Winter’s Peak in the Purcell Wilderness Conservancy Provincial Park and Protected Area on the northeast side of Kootenay Lake. Although this wildfire is burning in a remote area at a high elevation, smoke from this fire is visible from the communities of Kaslo, Argenta, Johnsons Landing and surrounding areas.
• Smoke from a 70-hectare wildfire burning on the west side of Duncan Lake in the Glacier Creek area may be visible from Duncan Lake and the Meadow Creek region.
• A one-hectare wildfire is burning in extremely rough terrain five kilometres northeast of Galena Bay (in the Mackenzie Creek area). Due to potential danger to first responders, this fire will be closely monitored.

With hot and dry conditions forecast through next week and the potential for more thunderstorms this afternoon and evening, the Southeast Fire Centre is urging the public to be extra cautious.

The Southeast Fire Centre is currently experiencing very dry conditions and elevated fire danger ratings. The fire danger rating is “high” to “extreme” throughout the region. The BC Wildfire Service reminds the public that campfires are prohibited throughout the Southeast Fire Centre and urges the public to abide by these restrictions to reduce the number of human-caused wildfires, which can divert critical resources from naturally occurring wildfires.

From April 1 to July 20, 2017, the Southeast Fire Centre has responded to 131 wildfires that have burned 286 hectares. Ninety-one of these fires were caused by lightning, while the remaining 40 were human-caused. Last year on this day, a total of 49 fires had burned 316 hectares.

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. The Southeast Fire Centre includes the Selkirk Natural Resource District and the Rocky Mountain Natural Resource District.

To report a wildfire 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

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