More burnouts are planned for the Williams Lake area today weather permitting, said Cariboo Fire Centre information officer Noelle Kekula Friday morning.
“If the weather co-operates we are going to do some larger burns this afternoon,” she told the Tribune outside the CFC where the smoke is very thick. “If it’s smoky you may not see it, but if it clears up and you see a big smoke like you did a few days ago it’s the exact same scenario. It’s a planned burnout operation.”
The burn will be on the Wildwood/Williams Lake Airport fire, northeast of Williams Lake, she added.
Crews are prepping hard because there may be a weather system change coming Saturday, Kekula said.
“There is a request for more resources, but we have to appreciate and be cognizant there is need all over the province.
There are now 13 fires of note on the BC Wildfire Service website that include the 150 Mile House Fire, Castle Rock/Twan Lake-C10740-Quesnel Area Command, Chezacut Complex, Green Mountain -C10683-Quesnel Area Command, Gustafsen wildfire, Hanceville Fires, Kleena Kleene Complex, Riske Creek, Soda Creek Fire, Spokin Lake Rd, West Fraser Road-C10701-Quesnel Area Command, White Lake and Wildwood Fire.
With information taken from the website, an estimated 69,000 hectares is burning as of Thursday morning, with the largest area being the Hanceville fires at 40,000 hectares.