The large wildfire that destroyed multiple homes in British Columbia’s southern Interior last month is now being held, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS).
Officials say the 280-square-kilometre Shetland Creek wildfire is not likely to spread further, but crews still have hard work ahead.
A statement from the BCWS says smoke will remain visible from within the perimeter as crews use hand tools to dig out hot spots and turn over and wet down earth to remove heat from the fire.
The fire is still listed as one of five wildfires of note in the province, meaning they are either highly visible or pose a threat to public safety and infrastructure.
Last week the Thompson-Nicola Regional District lifted most of the remaining evacuation orders and alerts that were in place due to the Shetland Creek fire, which is burning between the communities of Lytton and Cache Creek about 180 kilometres northeast of Vancouver.
Handout footage from the B.C. Wildfire Service shows smoke and flames from the huge Shetland Creek wildfire in B.C.’s southern Interior from the week of July 22, 2024.
The fire destroyed at least 20 structures including six homes in the Venables Valley in the days after it was first reported on July 12.
The statement says the BCWS is grateful for firefighters from Australia, Ontario and the Northwest Territories who assisted in managing the fire.
The province’s online dashboard says 165 ground personnel, 14 helicopters and 11 pieces of heavy equipment are currently assigned to the fire.
Cooler, wet weather
A provincewide situation update says wet weather is helping firefighters tackle some of the wildfires burning in the south of the province.
The update from the wildfire service says the southern half of the province is seeing cooler temperatures with rainy conditions pushing inland from the coast and that the increase in relative humidity is helping ease fire behaviour.
The statement says there is the potential for widespread thunderstorm activity across the central Interior, though any lightning strikes are expected to be accompanied by rain.
In the north, the statement says warm, dry conditions remain and people should be mindful of activities that could spark a new wildfire because the area will be susceptible to new ignitions.
Wildfire of note in northwest
The wildfire service says two helicopters were called in to help fight the Corya Creek wildfire about seven kilometres northwest of the Witset First Nation in northwest B.C.
The service says the fire, first discovered Aug. 10 and believed to have been caused by lightning, is burning on steep terrain that is not safe for ground crews. The fire has been declared a wildfire of note and a structure defence plan is being developed as a precaution, the BCWS says.
The fire, which was burning over 1.8 square kilometres as of Monday morning, has prompted two evacuation alerts for about 50 properties leading from Witset toward Hazelton along Highway 16 in the Two Mile area. An evacuation alert means people must be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.
As of Monday morning, the wildfire service listed 374 active fires in the province, including 15 that started in the last 24 hours.