BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) teams managed to extinguish several new fires in the Whistler area within a short period of time on Friday evening.
A thunderstorm that struck on August 9 triggered six restarts north and south of Whistler, and by midday Saturday, all but one had either failed or been brought under control.
Therefore, BCWS efforts today will focus primarily on the Birkenhead Lake (219 hectares as of Saturday morning) and Rutherford Creek (30 hectares) fires.
“We have 28 firefighters, six emergency crews and two helicopters responding to the Birkenhead Lake fire today. Our goal is for crews to work to create a fuel-free zone on the northwest flank to prevent the fire from spreading,” said Kimberley Kelly, fire information officer for the BCWS Coastal Fire Centre.
In Rutherford Creek, BCWS has 21 firefighters, seven field crews and two helicopters on duty Saturday.
“Crews are working to contain the northeast portion of the fire,” Kelly said. “That’s a sustained action goal for the next few days, so they’ll be working on that for the next few days.”
Southwest of Whistler at Seagram Lake, crews are battling a small fire measuring 0.1 hectares, Kelly said.
“We have a (first attack) crew and a helicopter with us, and they’re just going to work on their first attack targets,” she said. “It’s worth noting that this fire is behaving like a Level 1 fire, so a smoldering ground fire with no open flame and a low rate of spread.”
Another small fire is currently raging on Highway 99 north of Whistler.
“It simply means that, given current conditions and weather, the forest is not expected to grow beyond its current size or boundaries,” Kelly said.
A steady procession of skimmers was observed taking water from Green Lake on Friday and, depending on where the resources are needed, they could return this weekend.
The public is urged to stay away from areas where firefighting operations are taking place.
With more lightning forecast for Saturday, Kelly urged the public to be vigilant and report any fires by calling 1-800-663-5555 or texting *5555. In Whistler, dial 911.
“The public is a really important and valuable partner for us in early detection and reporting,” Kelly said. “The sooner we detect it or the sooner it’s reported, the sooner we can do something about it.”
The Whistler resort community advises The public can sign up for Whistler Alert and read other summer wildfire preparedness news in this blog post.
Stay up to date with the latest fire information here.
