Fraser Complex Evening Update
Shovel Lake Wildfire (R11498)
Location: approx. 6km north of the community of Fraser Lake
Status: 91,253 hectares (mapped—infrared scan) – 20% contained
Cause: under investigation
Resources: 244 firefighters, 43 pieces of heavy equipment, 16 helicopters (shared in the complex).
Objectives: The Shovel Lake fire situation has remained fairly static over the last few days with internal fire activity not causing growth beyond the existing perimeter. The most activity over the past few days has occurred on the northeast by the Bud Road, on the southeast corner, and in the north between Hannay Lake and the Sutherland Park area. This activity has been spurred on by higher afternoon winds and available fuel pockets (what can be called “fuel finding”), especially with remaining spruce stands. Today, the southeast corner was given attention to by crews as the fire was fuel finding and spurred by strong western winds. Crews will continue to respond to activity as heavy equipment helps to wrap any excursions that have occurred over existing containment lines. With clear skies today, bucketing helicopters supported objectives all day. Crews continued to work on the northeast section, and mop-up along the east flank is ongoing. Heavy equipment has the objective to “tightline” the fire perimeter (meaning: to wrap containment lines tightly along the perimeter as an initial guard within the broader containment lines that have already been constructed along the Barlow and Dog Creek roads).
Island Lake Wildfire (R11921)
Location: Adjacent to Island Lake
Status: 20,409.0 hectares (mapped—infrared scan)
Cause: Under investigation
Resources: 52 firefighters, 23 pieces of heavy equipment, 16 helicopters (shared in the complex) – more helicopters are arriving for tomorrow.
Objectives: Crews continue efforts on the Dahlgren Road to stop the fire from creeping further towards values. In the Dahlgren Road area, hand guard was constructed today around powerlines and crews conducted planned ignitions to mitigate the risk posed by the slash and decked logs. Crews on the south side of the fire worked in the Anzus Lake and Borel Lake areas, wrapping around the eastern part of Borel Lake to tie off the fire. There is 100 feet wetlining occurring off of containment lines to secure the perimeter off the Arrow Road. The containment line that heavy equipment has been pushing in off of Francois Lake working south has been completed, and crews are following up with hoselay and blacklining to remove fuels from the fire side in order to keep the fire from advancing and to protect adjacent timber values.
Cheslatta Wildfire (R11683)
Location: North of Cheslatta Lake
Status: 7,629 hectares (estimated)
Cause: under investigation
Resources: 30 firefighters, 23 pieces of heavy equipment, 16 helicopters (shared in the complex)
Objectives: A small excursion over containment lines occurred towards the Binta Lake side to which helicopters and crews responded to, more action will occur on this tomorrow. On the west side, crews are working with heavy equipment to tie in containment lines and will maintain open communications with the Babine Complex given the proximity of the Verdun Fire and are looking for opportunities to build containment lines to support Verdun. Crews worked to blackline a 25 ft. buffer around the cultural sites that were equipped with sprinklers last night. Crews and heavy equipment continue to work to secure the eastern flank, where an excursion occurred by the end of Holy Cross Lake though crews and equipment wrapped it back in. Crews will anchor from Cheslatta Lake and work north towards the 48 Road and 20 ft wetline is occurring.
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