BC Wildfire Service firefighters have made good progress on many of the lightning-caused wildfires that started in the Southeast Fire Centre over the past week.
Since Monday, crews have responded to 23 such wildfires. Many are still highly visible, but none is threatening any structures or communities.
• Air tankers are responding to a 20-hectare wildfire burning west of Slocan Park, in the Wolverton Creek area. This fire is located in steep, difficult terrain.
• The three separate fires burning about 12 kilometres south of Boswell in the Sanca area (east of Kootenay Lake) are either in the mop-up or patrol stages, with the exception of the wildfire burning closest to Sanca Creek. Air tankers, a helicopter and 16 ground crews are currently working on this 2.2-hectare fire.
• The two small wildfires burning about five kilometres north of Queens Bay (in the Coffee Creek region west of Kootenay Lake) are 100 per cent contained and are in the patrol stage.
• The wildfire south of Champion Lakes Provincial Park is 100 per cent contained and is in the patrol stage. The fire on Mount Heinze (east of Birchbank) is also 100 per cent contained and is in the mop-up stage.
• Five BC Wildfire Service firefighters and one water tender are currently responding to a 0.9-hectare wildfire on Keystone Mountain (northwest of Salmo).
• One initial attack crew and a helicopter are currently responding to a 0.3-hectare wildfire west of Ymir.
Since April 1, the BC Wildfire Service has responded to 181 wildfires in the Southeast Fire Centre, 51 of which were human-caused. The fire danger rating in most of the Southeast Fire Centre is currently high, with some areas rated extreme.