More Equipment Called In To Battle Nazko Blaze

Friday, July 25, 2008 09:48 AM

WILLIAMS LAKE – Additional resources are being brought in to help control a fire 24 kilometres south of Nazko, a community to the west of Quesnel.

A fire of approximately 35 hectares which started yesterday afternoon in a remote area south-west of Quesnel has air tankers and additional firefighters working the fire this morning, as hot and windy conditions continue to hinder fire control efforts.

An additional twenty-one forestry firefighters, a water tank truck, first aid support and an incident commander are attending the fire this morning to help firefighters and forestry workers already on site.

The fire was called in by a forestry lookout yesterday afternoon, and an initial attack crew was dispatched to the fire in a helicopter.

Forestry workers and heavy equipment working near the fire helped fire crews attempt to control the fire with machine guard, but afternoon winds allowed sparks to cross the guard into adjacent forest fuels.

Air tankers worked the fire as long as they could into the evening to help slow the fire and firefighters worked overnight guiding heavy equipment around the fire to complete a machine guard surrounding the fire.

Daytime heating and winds are once again increasing fire activity and air tankers are being dispatched to work the fire again this morning, along with a helicopter to bucket water on the more active parts of the fire.

Heavy equipment is attempting to complete a second guard today in order to back up the machine guard already in place.

No structures or communities are threatened by the fire at this time. However, smoke is visible from the community of Nazko as well as the city of Quesnel, as the wind pushes the smoke northward.

There are currently no fire bans or restrictions in place in the Cariboo.

The Cariboo Fire Centre is experiencing high to extreme fire danger in many areas due to high temperatures and a lack of rain.

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