Quick action by local firefighters heads off wildfire scare on Blewett Road
By Nelson Daily Staff
Quick action by the Blewett Fire Department may have headed off a potential wildfire Tuesday evening in the 4000 Block of Blewett Road west of Nelson.
The local volunteer fire department quickly arrived on scene after receiving a call of a grass fire. The fire originated when a resident was cleaning out a burn barrel and nearby grass caught on fire.
Blewett Fire Department responded to the call with equipment to extinguish the fire which smoke could be seen from homes on the north side of the Kootenay River, in Taghum and Beasley.
Beasley Fire Department with equipement and firefighters also responded to the call, but were asked to stand down before arriving as Blewett firefighters quickly had the situation under control.
The potential scare comes as the Southeast Fire Centre released information Tuesday that personnel are currently fighting 31 active wildfires throughout the region.
Fire Information Officer John Boivin said in a media release some of these wildfires are visible from surrounding communities, but none are immediately threatening communities or structures.
These fires include the following:
- On July 25, five BC Wildfire Service personnel, one helicopter and the local fire department responded to a spot-sized wildfire three kilometres west of Baynes Lake on the west side of Lake Koocanusa.
- A 1.7-hectare fire reported on July 24 near Lockhart Provincial Park (on the east shore of Kootenay Lake, about six kilometres north of Boswell) is now 75% contained. As of the afternoon of July 25, 26 BC Wildfire Service crews were on site. The cause of this fire is under investigation.
- BC Wildfire Service personnel, the local fire department, airtankers and two helicopters are responding to a 2.5-hectare fire, 19 kilometres north of Westbridge in the Christian Valley. This fire was discovered on July 24 and is 100% contained. The cause of this fire is under investigation.
- A 10-hectare, lightning-caused wildfire is burning near Rapid Creek, about 30 kilometres northwest of Lardeau at the north end of Kootenay Lake. Smoke from this fire may be noticeable throughout the Lardeau Valley and in the Meadow Creek area. Due to the steep terrain, this fire is being monitored at this time.
Boivin said Southeast Fire Centre residents can expect smoky conditions in the region with prevailing winds forecasted to come from the north and northwest. This smoke originates from several large fires burning in the Cariboo Fire Centre and the Kamloops Fire Centre.
From April 1 to July 25, 2017, the BC Wildfire Service has responded to 172 wildfires in the Southeast Fire Centre that have burned 4,717 hectares. Of these fires, 127 were caused by lightning, while the remaining fires were human-caused. Last year on this date, 59 fires had burned 317 hectares.
The Southeast Fire Centre extends from the U.S. border in the south to the Mica Dam in the north and from the Okanagan Highlands and Monashee Mountains in the west to the B.C.-Alberta border in the east. The Southeast Fire Centre includes the Selkirk Natural Resource District and the Rocky Mountain Natural Resource District.
To report a wildfire or open burning violation, call *5555 on a cellphone or 1 800 663-5555 toll-free. For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, visit: www.bcwildfire.ca
You can also follow the latest wildfire news:
* On Twitter: http://twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo
* On Facebook: http://facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo
