Fraser Comples Morning Update
Shovel Lake Wildfire (R11498)
Location: approx. 6km north of the community of Fraser Lake
Status: 91,253 hectares (mapped—infrared scan)
Cause: under investigation
Resources: 181 firefighters, 47 pieces of heavy equipment, 9 helicopters (shared in the complex)
Objectives: The growth on the northeast corner has been wrapped with machine guard, and was being supported by helicopters bucketing yesterday. The growth in the last 48 hours has been ~1200 hectares in the northeast and northwest flanks of the fire. The main flank of the fire has not moved towards Fort St James, Highway 27, or Highway 16 in the last week. Today in the north, mop up from Roof Road to Nest Road is occurring. Guard is being finished around Cold Lake and Charlotte Lake. Contingency guard on the north and northeast flanks is being established. In the south, guard is being built and hand ignitions to the east of Ormond Creek to remove fuel within the fire perimeter. Mop up along Sutherland Road between William Road to Ed Road. Burning and wet lining guard from Sutherland Road to Settlement Road. Equipment and crews are working near McKnab Lake creating machine guard to tie into existing guard on the east side near Marie Lake. On the east flank, crews are mitigating the risk to the community of Fort St James and Highway 27. Structural protection crews, including engines, water tenders trucks and personnel will remain present in the area. Heavy equipment continues to build guard starting at the Sutherland FSR and links to Dog Creek Trail, with the containment line on the southern perimeter running north of the png pipeline and Stella Rd. This continuous guard veers northward to wrap up the eastern side of the fire, crossing Barlow FSR and extending northward utilizing the Bud Rd where continued work will occur over the next few days up towards Sowchea Creek and McKnab Lake to connect onto the north side of the fire with the plan being to protect properties, timber values, and minimize environmental impact.
What do the terms head, flank and finger mean in describing a forest fire?
The head of a fire is the portion of the fire that is moving with the greatest intensity.
The flanks of a fire are the perimeters of the fire in the other directions.
A finger is an elongated area of fire that extends beyond the main body of the fire.
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