Evacuation Order and Alert Expanded Around Southwest Tagish Lake Fire

Thursday, 15 August 2019 12:51

The Tagish Lake Fire viewed today from a remote monitoring camera (Photo courtesy of BC Wildfire Service).

Emergency Management BC has expanded an evacuation alert and an evacuation order around the Southwest Tagish Lake Fire. The fire is located approximately 40 kilometres from Atlin.

Southwest Tagish Lake Fire

Emergency Management BC has expanded an existing evacuation alert and an evacuation order issued last week due to increased fire activity from the Southwest Tagish Lake Fire burning approximately 40 kilometres from Atlin.

Despite more accurate mapping of the fire and a reduction of the estimated fire's growth at 890-hectares in size, officials say smoke is visible from the fire burning in the Atlin Area.

BC Wildfire Information Officer Carolyn Bartos says the expanded alert covers portions of the Taku Arm.

"The alert was expanded on the west side of Tagish Lake, where the Fantail River enters Tagish. That's basically the west side of the Taku Arm. The fire is still approximately 40 kilometres west of Atlin and there is one structure that is located there. The structure did receive structure protection which is why it went into the alert stage of the evacuation process."

Bartos highlights that the BC Wildfire Service has already implemented a plan to protect several cabins in the vicinity of the fire. She says personnel have installed structural protection units, also known as large-scale sprinklers, on cabins in the area as part of their structural protection operations.

Bartos says cooler and wetter weather will likely help with fire suppression activity in the coming days.

"With the minimal fire growth and with the expected rain coming this weekend, we are hoping for a downturn in activity on this fire. We're hoping that it starts to settle down into the coming days. There is a mix of snow and rain in the forecast heading into the weekend. Temperatures are on the decrease and with the rain coming, it should help with fire suppression activity in that area."

The evacuation order from the fire doesn't impact Atlin, B.C.

Fire Near Telegraph Creek

Bartos says a fire burning about 50 kilometres west of Telegraph Creek has also grown in size in recent days.

"The Barrington River Fire is located approximately 50 kilometres west of Telegraph Creek. This fire is now mapped at 4600 hectares. (The growth) is due to winds that were also affecting the Southwest Tagish Lake Fire as well. The fire is still located about 25 kilometers from a fish camp that is located at Tahltan Lake. Most of that fire growth was in the southwest direction, the opposite direction of Telegraph Creek and the fish camp."

Fire near Bell II

Bartos says the Mehan Lake fire that is burning kilometres away from the Cassiar highway near Bell II is also under control. She says many fire crews left that fire yesterday and 20 firefighting crews remain in the area to patrol the fire and look for hot spots to put out.

There are currently 37 active wildfires burning in British Columbia.