PRINCE GEORGE  – Firefighters are working to contain 11 new fires in the Prince George Fire Centre, which ignited Wednesday afternoon and evening as a lightning storm moved through the area.

 

The largest of the lightning fires is 5.5 hectares and is located 30 kilometres southeast of Ekwaw Lake. Air tankers helped ground crews contain the fire. Today two five-person crews continue working on site, with support from a helicopter. The fire is 60% contained with no communities or structures threatened by this fire. Of the 11 fires, seven are in the Fort Nelson zone, three are in the Fort St. John zone and one is in the Mackenzie zone.

The fire danger rating is currently low to moderate throughout most of the Prince George Fire Centre. The risk of further lightning and thunderstorm activity continues throughout today with a potential for gusty winds as the cells move through the fire centre region. The weekend is predicted to be warm and dry; therefore the fire centre would like to remind the public to be very careful with their fire use.

 

The Prince George Fire Centre covers the eastern portion of the Northern Interior Forest Region and the extreme northern portion of the Southern Interior Forest Region, which is from the Yukon and Northwest Territories in the north, to Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, Cottonwood River and Robson Valley in the south; and from the Alberta border in the east to the Skeena Mountains in the west.

 

Geographically this area extends from Kinbasket Lake in the south to Endako in the west, north to the Yukon border and east to the Alberta border.

 

To report a wildfire or unattended campfire call 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on most cellular networks. For more information on open fire restrictions or for updates on current wildfire activity, visit www.bcwildfire.ca, or call our information line 1-888-3FOREST (1-888-336-7378).