(View of Stack Creek fire from Highway 97 in Pine Pass.  Photo courtesy Chad Bester)

Prince George, B.C. – Motorists travelling through the Pine Pass on a regular basis have noticed that a wildfire burning near Powder King has grown over the past week.

However, Wildfire Management Branch Information Officer Susie Lassek says “the Stack Creek fire has been moving away from Powder King and Highway 97 in recent days” and there is no elevated concern about any values at this time.

However the fire, which was started by a lightning strike 37 kilometres east of Mackenzie on August 15th has grown from 700 hectares on Friday to 1625 hectares today.  On Friday there were eleven firefighters on site, now there are two crews of a combined 49 firefighters battling the blaze.  They are being assisted by 20 contractors and two helicopters.  Sunday was spent constructing helipads in the vicinity of the fire.

The blaze, which is not an interface fire, is zero percent contained.