A low-pressure system moving into northern B.C. is expected to dampen activity at a wildfire that has forced several thousand people to flee their homes in and around Fort Nelson.
The BC Wildfire Service said in an update Wednesday that cooler temperatures in the low teens, along with higher humidity, should reduce the chances of intense fire activity.
It said there’s potential for light rain, which would further lower the risk of the fire spreading closer to the town of about 4,700 people, who were put under an evacuation order on Friday.
The town and the Fort Nelson First Nation have been under threat from the 84-square-kilometre Parker Lake wildfire burning just outside the community. The out-of-control blaze had exploded in size on Friday and Saturday. It’s now an estimated 12,741 hectares.
A much more massive fire, the Patry Creek blaze, is burning about 25 kilometres north of Fort Nelson.
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It has grown to 718 square kilometres in size, up from 464 square kilometres yesterday, but the wildfire service said it does not pose an immediate risk to the town and firefighting conditions are favourable in the short term.
The Doig River First Nation and Peace River Regional District have also issued evacuation orders due to a separate fire north of Fort St. John. That fire is now listed as being held after control lines held overnight.
A public information meeting for evacuees from the Fort Nelson area is set to take place in Fort St. John later on Wednesday.
Rob Fraser, mayor of the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, which includes Fort Nelson, said in a video online that the thousands of people who escaped to Fort St. John have significantly increased the small town’s population.
“I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again, when it’s 3,500 people (who) drop into a community of 25,000, it’s a shock. It’s a shock to them. So please be patient,” he said.
While conditions are looking favourable around the blaze threatening Fort Nelson, the BC Wildfire Service also said conditions remain unseasonably warm and dry throughout much of the province.
Meanwhile, CN Rail has suspended service in parts of B.C. due to wildfire activity.
The organization said in a statement that service on their network north of Buick towards Fort Nelson is suspended.
“We are working with the Province of B.C. and our impacted customers as our crews assess damages and identify any required repairs,” Ashley Michnowski, senior manager of media relations, said in an email.
-With a file from Global News’ Amy Judd
© 2024 The Canadian Press
