Originally estimated to have burned 17,000 hectares when first spotted on May 9, the Little Bobtail Lake wildfire has now grown to 24,000 hectares (59,305 acres) as of Monday.
Over the weekend, firefighters had contained about 20 percent of the fire, but strong winds gusting up to 35 kilometers on Saturday and Sunday caused fire crews to lose some ground.
But B.C.’s Fire Management Branch is welcoming some cooler and less windy weather over the next few days. The humidity is also elevated, and there is an increasing chance of some rain between now and Thursday, although Fire Management says it will take a lot of rain to counteract the dryness of the forest.
(NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team. Caption: NASA/Goddard, Lynn Jenner)
There are now 270 firefighters, 13 helicopters, and 22 pieces of equipment involved in fighting the blaze. There are also aircraft involved in helping firefighters to control fire lines, especially along a stretch toward the northwest and southwest corners of grizzly Lake, and to the southeast toward Bobtail Mountain.
According to Emergency InfoBC, the evacuation alert that was issued on May 11 is still in effect. Residents are asked to have important papers handy, make arrangements for pets and livestock, and be prepared with a 72-hour emergency kit. For more information on any alerts or evacuation orders, go to: visit www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca.
RCMP now confirm B.C.’s largest fire was human-caused
The RCMP confirmed on Monday the Little Bobtail Lake fire was caused by human hands. In a statement, the RCMP said the origin of the fire has been found, and they are asking for the public’s help in identifying the people believed to be responsible.
In addition, crews are now battling new fires that were caused by lightning Friday in the Cariboo region. Crews are working on three small fires in the Big Bar area and one small fire southwest of Quesnel. According to the CBC News, Jill Kelsh with the Prince George Fire Center said crews have been working around the clock since Sunday to get the Little Bobtail Lake fire under control.
