The BC Wildfire Service is currently responding to 72 new wildfires in the Prince George and Northwest fire centres, all of which started on Wednesday, June 20, 2018.

The new fires were sparked by lightning and are burning in the Prince George, Vanderhoof/Fort St. James, Mackenzie, Nadina, Bulkley and Skeena fire zones.

Prince George Fire Centre:

• The largest wildfire in the Prince George Fire Centre is the Kloch Lake fire, which is about 50 kilometres north of Tachie and covers about 950 hectares.
• The Foster Road Fire is about seven kilometres south of Fraser Lake and covers about 25 hectares.
• Neither of these fires is threatening any communities or structures at this time. 

Northwest Fire Centre:

• The three largest fires in the Northwest Fire Centre are in the Nadina Fire Zone.
• The Maxan Lake fire is about 30 kilometres west of Burns Lake and covers about 94 hectares.
• The Endako fire, about three kilometres west of the Endako Mine and about four kilometres north of François Lake, covers about 30 hectares.
• The Taltapin Lake fire is about four kilometres south of Taltapin Lake and covers about 30 hectares.
• None of these three fires is threatening structures or communities at this time.

All of the new fires are being assessed and prioritized. Many of them are burning in remote areas, where access by ground vehicles is limited. Firefighting crews, helicopters and airtankers responded to multiple fires yesterday, and are continuing their fire suppression activities today.

With so many lightning-caused fires occurring in such a short period of time, it’s important to keep in mind that any additional human-caused fires can divert critical resources away from naturally occurring fires. Forests and grasslands in much of northern B.C. are very dry, so wildfires may start easily, burn vigorously and challenge fire suppression efforts. The BC Wildfire Service is urging members of the public to use extreme caution when they are out in the backcountry.

To report a wildfire, unattended campfire or open burning violation, please call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free, or *5555 on a cellphone. For up-to-date information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, call 1 888 3-FOREST or visit: www.bcwildfire.ca

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