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Crews respond to Palmer Mountain wildfire

Fire information officer optimistic crews will get a handle on new fire burning north of Puntzi Lake Tuesday
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A 182-hectare wildfire discovered Monday seven kilometres north of Puntzi Lake has seen no significant growth as of Tuesday afternoon.

Initial attack crews are responding to a new wildfire near Palmer Mountain in the Chilcotin discovered Monday, May 16, at around 1 p.m.

Located one kilometre north east of Palmer Mountain and seven km north of Puntzi Lake, the fire is about 182 hectares in size, according to the Cariboo Fire Centre information officer Emily Epp.

"The fire is not threatening any property or people at this time," Epp said Tuesday morning. "Right now we are doing a flyover to do an accurate GPS track of the fire."

On Monday afternoon 14 firefighters with the support of helicopters, air tankers and heavy equipment attacked the blaze, with four firefighters and four pieces of heavy equipment working through the night.

"They made good progress constructing a guard around the perimetre," Epp said, adding she was optimistic crews would have a handle on the fire by Tuesday.

As of Tuesday morning there were 49 firefighters, six pieces of heavy equipment and two helicopters working the scene.

Tammy Theriault of the Kokanee Bay Resort on Puntzi Lake said she could see the fire Monday afternoon from her place.

"I haven't heard the air tankers flying overhead this morning and I've been up since about 6 a.m.," Theriault said Tuesday.

Palmer Mountain is located approximately an hour and a half west of Williams Lake.

Last July the Puntzi Lake area was hit hard by a wildfire which destroyed homes and a resort.

 

 

 

 



Monica Lamb-Yorski

About the Author: Monica Lamb-Yorski

A B.C. gal, I was born in Alert Bay, raised in Nelson, graduated from the University of Winnipeg, and wrote my first-ever article for the Prince Rupert Daily News.
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