More evacuations ordered as wildfire closes in on Fort Nelson
Emergency minister warns of volatile conditions for crews fighting 3 fires in region of northeastern B.C.
UPDATE May 14, 8 a.m. PT:Conditions improve for crews battling growing wildfire near Fort Nelson
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THE LATEST:
- The Parker Lake wildfire continues to approach Fort Nelson, B.C., andwas about 1.5 kilometres outside of town just before 7 a.m. MTMonday, according to the regional mayor.The B.C. Wildfire Service gaveits proximity as 2.5 kilometres.
- More properties in the 292 Subdivision and south to theNorth River Midstreamgas plant were ordered to evacuate on Monday due to the Parker Lake fire and another fire 20 kilometres to the north.
- B.C. Minister of Emergency Preparedness Bowinn Ma says fire crews are facing an "extremely challenging" 48 hours ahead with the possibility of "volatile" fire behaviour.
- Officials warned Mondaythat winds are likely to continue pushing the Parker Lake fire towardFort Nelsonthrough the day.
- The wildfire had grown in size to nearly 53 square kilometres as of Sunday evening.
- Residents who did not evacuate were toldthere would be no help available after noon Sunday.
- How to find thefull list of wildfires, highway closures and evacuation orders and alerts.
Residents who remain in Fort Nelson, B.C., as a fast-moving wildfire approaches are being urged to leave as soon as possible as officials prepare for challenging conditions that could see flames shift into the community.
More evacuation orders were issued,as officials warn of "extremely challenging" fire conditions in the region.
High winds have continued to drive the Parker Lake fire last measured at 53 square kilometres towardthe town and the Fort Nelson First Nationin northeastern British Columbia, according to B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS).
On Monday morning, the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality (NRRM) and Fort Nelson First Nation upgraded evacuation alerts to evacuation orders for 80 more properties due to the Parker Lake fire and the Patry Creek holdover fire, about 20 kilometres north of the town.
The evacuation area now covers the entire 292 Subdivision and all properties south to the North River Midstream gas plant,the NRRM said in a social media post.
And as Patry Creek and another holdover fires alsoburn out of control in the area, B.C. officials say wildfire fighters are facing"extremely challenging" conditions to protect communities in the region as winds are expected to pick up.
"We may begin to see volatile wildfireactivity later this afternoon," Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Climate Readiness Bowinn Ma told reporters in Victoria onMonday morning.
She said the fire was 2.5 kilometres from the town.
"Let's just say we are extremely concerned," she added.
Whether the fire reaches the town depends on the weather, said NRRM Mayor Rob Fraser, who said earlier Monday that the flames were just 1.5 kilometres from its western perimeter.
"The forecast that I hear is that we're going to get a westerly flow which could bring the fire closer to the community if it gets up to what it was like on Friday," Fraser told CBCNews shortly before 7 a.m. MT Monday.
"We're trying to keep the fire away from the high fuel areas, so it's all hands on deck."
Officials repeated the same message they had communicatedfor the last few days: anyone still in the community should leave so wildfire crews can focus on fighting the flames, rather than conducting rescues. And, they warned, help may not be available for those who choose to stay.
The #BCWildfire situation in Fort Nelson is evolving rapidly. BCWS wildfire crews, local fire crews, helicopters, heavy equipment and structural protection are responding to the Parker Lake wildfire. Theyre doing anything they can to protect homes and the community. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/ermO9qWbvK
—@BowinnMa2 holdover fires also growing rapidly
The Parker Lakefire prompted orders for the nearly 4,700 people living in Fort Nelson and the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation to evacuate on Friday, days after two other massive holdover fires to the north and east of the town reignited and prompted evacuation alerts.
The out-of-controlNogah Creek fire has grown to more than 600 square kilometres since it was reignited on May 5, BCWS said. It is burning approximately 60 kilometres east of Fort Nelson.
The Patry Creek holdover fire reignited on May 2 and has grown to 343square kilometres as of Saturday night, according to the BCWS website. It is also considered out of control.
Both fires prompted evacuation alerts in and around Fort Nelson and the First Nation last week.
But the situation quickly deteriorated when winds blew a tree down onto a power line and sparked the Parker Lake fire just nine kilometres west of the townFriday afternoon.
Fraser said as of Monday morning,fewer than 100 households have not heeded evacuation orders and remain in the area.
Ma urged those who have not yet evacuated to do so immediately, saying she understood it was difficult. "We're talking about people's entire lives in some of these homes," she said.
'Too much to lose'
Ian Langstaff says he stayed behind because he has "too much to lose."
The mechanic has been working to clear flammable brush and debrisand dampen the earth alongthe perimeter of his propertyabout twokilometres north of Fort Nelson.
Langstaffsays he worries the two holdover fires are drawing resources away from the Parker Lake fire at the town's doorstep and says BCWSshould have done more to extinguish themover the wintertime.
"If we get a bad wind change and it brings one of them towardus, it'll obliterate us," he said.
"So we're battling this small fire right now and just hoping and praying that we don't have to battle one of them two big monsters."
'Our plan worked'
Fraser said, despite some people choosing to stay behind, 3,500 people were evacuated from the area in six hours.
Most travelled several hours to Fort St. John, where a reception centre was set up.
"When you get 3,500 people coming into a town the size of Fort St. John, it's a shocker," he said."But they were there and they were ready for us."
Fraser said it's not often communities actually see their emergency plans in action.
"Although you don't get to exercise it very often, our plan worked."
LISTEN | Mayor explains wildfire situation in Fort Nelson:
BCWS director of wildfire operations Cliff Chapman says many of the holdover fires were burning deep underground, under layers of snow, and with no heat signature over the winter.
He said they were fuelled by prolonged drought and that B.C. could follow up on how to improvedealing with holdover fires in the future.
"The answer is really in prevention,"Chapman said.
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