Today’s Note: Currently, weather conditions are leading to aggressive fire behaviour and substantial growth of fires in the VanJam zone (Vanderhoof/Fort St. James). The number one priority for the BC Wildfire Service is ensuring the safety of first responders, and crews have been pulled back on fires that are exhibiting dangerous fire activity. Aggressive fire behaviour is expected to continue through the next several days. At this time, the main objective is keeping transportation corridors open for access and egress to support fire operations and evacuation routes.

On Thursday, the BC Wildfire Service hosted a regional wildfire update to help provide timely and accurate information on the current wildfire situation in the Nadina, Bulkley-Nechako, Fort St. James and Vanderhoof regions of the Northwest and Prince George Fire Centres.

These areas have seen increased fire activity as a result of prolonged drought conditions and a convective weather pattern that has brought persistent thunderstorms to the region. In the last seven days B.C. has seen 51,000 lightning strikes, with 76% of those concentrated in the Northwest and Prince George Fire Centres. As a result, 399 new wildfires have started in the last week with 224 of those within the regions focused on today. Of the active fires currently burning in B.C., 198 were caused by lightning. (Video included below the list of fires.)

Evacuation alerts and orders have been recommended to the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako, the Regional District of Fraser–Fort George, the Cariboo Regional District and several other First Nations and local governments throughout significant portions of the VanJam zone.

Below are the links to Wildfires of Note for the PG Fire Centre and the Northwest Fire Centre. Each link will take you to that fires website that could have additional information, including evacuation info. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, PJXM has included the links of regional districts that will have the most up to date evacuation information.

• Davis Lake (PG Region)
• Gatcho Lake (PG Region)
• Pelican Creek (Cariboo region)
• Townsend Creek (Cariboo region)
• Greer Creek (PG Region)
• Nithi Mountain (PG Region)
• Whitefish Lake (PG region)
• Parrot Lookout (Bulkley-Nechako)
• Finger Creek (Bulkley-Nechako)
• Tsah Creek (Fort St. James region)
• Sheraton Creek (Bulkley-Nechako)
• Tintagel (Bulkley-Nechako)
• Nation River (Mackenzie region)
• Big Creek (Mackenzie region)
• Donnie Creek (BC Peace)

For Evacuation alerts/orders you can view each district’s website link below…

• Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako
• Regional District of Fraser-Fort George
• Regional District of the BC Peace