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Williams Lake area wildfires burning estimated 15,660 hectares

A public information meeting has been called for Tuesday, July 11 at 3:30 p.m in the Cariboo Memorial Complex Rink #1.
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Photo submitted. Wildfire burning near Tl’etinqox First Nation as seen Sunday is one of many fires burning in the Chilcotin now estimated to be burning an estimated 10,000 hectares.

Wildfires are burning an estimated 15,660 hectares in the Williams Lake area, the Cariboo Fire Centre reported Tuesday morning.

The hardest hit is near Hanceville, located 60 kilometres southwest of Williams Lake, where numerous fires in a 25 km by 40 km area are burning an estimated 10,000 ha.

Because of poor visibility in the area, the size of the fire is an estimate and no details regarding resources working on the fire is available as of yet.

The 150 Mile House fire is estimated to be 2,600 ha.

“Crews have had some success today in building containment lines on both the west and east flanks of the fire, but this is a dynamic situation,” fire information officer Noelle Kekula noted on the BC Wildfire website. “The focus is on protecting Highway 97 and nearby structures.”

Thirty firefighters, 15 pieces of equipment, air support, line locators and support staff are working on the 150 Mile House fire, she confirmed.

Meanwhile the Wildwood fire near the Williams Lake Airport, just north of Williams Lake is estimated at approximately 2,500 ha in size.

Sixty-six firefighters, 14 pieces of equipment, air support, line locators and support staff are on the fire. Guard lines are being established and if weather permits, burn out operations will occur.

The Spokin Lake fire is now estimated at 460 ha. with 30 firefighters, 15 heavy equipment, air support, line locators and support staff attacking it.

It is estimated that the Soda Creek fire, located approximately 25 km northwest of Williams Lake is estimated to be 100 ha.

There is no present information about the number of resources working on it.

A public meeting has been scheduled for today, July 11, at 3:30 p.m. at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Centre Rink 1 in Williams Lake.

The Cariboo Regional District, Cariboo Fire Centre, and the City of Williams Lake will be there to give an update and answer questions.



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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