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Baynes Lake, Spilli fires still under attack
Here is the latest information on the fire front in the East Kootenay.
Baynes Lake Fire
Location: The fire is burning south of Cutts Road toward the Elk River. There is still heavy smoke over the fire area, making it more difficult to estimate size. Last estimate was in excess of 140 hectares.
Update: Fire behaviour today was much more settled and the fire saw minimal growth. The BC Wildfire Service is classifying it as 25% contained.
Resources: 30 firefighters and an Incident Commander, five pieces of heavy equipment, two helicopters and tankers as needed all day today. They will be back on the fire again tomorrow.
Alerts and Orders:
ALERT – Baynes Lake, Kragmont and south: An evacuation ALERT remains in place for Baynes Lake and the area previously under Order (the area south of 1347 Waldo Road, including the community of Kragmont and an area south of the river).
Spillimacheen Fire
Size: They got good mapping on it today and the size has been re-estimated at 54 hectares.
Location: It is burning in an area next to the highway north of Spillimacheen.
Resources: Efforts today focused on making machine guards in gullies to the north (in Columbia Shuswap Regional District). The Regional District of East Kootenay’s Windermere Fire Department Structural Protection Unit has protected two homes close to the blaze.
Alerts and Orders:
Evacuation ORDER: An evacuation ORDER remains in place for one home north of Spillimacheen.
Evacuation ALERT: An alert is in place for the area south of the RDEK Boundary, east of Columbia River south to Westside Road in Spillimacheen.
Other
We had a fire in the grass / yard clipping pile at the Central Subregion Landfill. Staff, contractors and a Wildfire Service crew actioned it immediately and although it generated a lot of smoke, the fire was isolated to the grass pile, quickly contained and is now out. Staff will be on site tomorrow checking for hot spots and continuing mop up.
There are many fires burning across the province. The BC Wildland Service aircraft and personnel are at a premium and resources are being stretched thin. They are making their best efforts at prioritizing resources and we are very grateful for the incredible work they are doing in our area.
A province-wide fire ban remains in effect.
Loree Duczek, RDEK Information Officer
