Close X
Thursday, October 31, 2024
ADVT 
National

Lightning Sparks Five New Wildfires In B.C. Interior As Massive Blaze Continues

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 17 May, 2015 02:39 PM
    PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — Crews are responding to five new wildfires in British Columbia's Central Interior, as a massive blaze continues to burn about 70 kilometres southwest of Prince George.
     
    B.C.'s Wildfire Management Branch says all of the new fires were sparked by Friday's lightning activity in the Cariboo region.
     
    The largest fire is raging four hectares west of Anahim Lake, where a three-person attack crew, airtankers and a helicopter are on site with 16 additional firefighters on the way.
     
    The branch says crews are also working on three small fires in the Big Bar area and one small fire southwest of Quesnel.
     
    Meanwhile, the aggressive Little Bobtail Lake blaze has destroyed about 170 square kilometres since it was first discovered last Saturday.
     
    Some 240 firefighters, 11 helicopters, eight air tankers and 23 pieces of heavy machinery have been brought in and 20 per cent of the fire has been contained.
     
    Jill Kelsh with the Prince George Fire Centre says crews have been working around the clock since last Sunday.
     
    "It's not very often that we have crews working day and night. They have been working as hard with all of the resources they have to get this fire under containment," she says.
     
    "It was our first and only extremely large fire burning in the province so it was definitely a high priority for us."
     
    She says an evacuation order remains in place for about 80 people and it's too soon to say when they could return to their homes.
     
    Kelsh says the area is finally seeing cooler temperatures and although winds have picked up, they are currently in crews' favour as they are moving away from larger communities.
     
    Officials are hoping the gusty winds will not cause any immediate threat to structures, she says.
     
    Unseasonably dry, hot weather has brought wildfire season early in B.C.
     
    One wildfire that destroyed 83 hectares near Clearwater was 100 per cent contained as of Saturday morning.
     
    Another blaze near Pelican Lake was about 164 hectares in size and only 50 per cent contained.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Judge Didn't Need To Watch Whole DVD To Know It Was Porn, Appeal Court Rules

    Judge Didn't Need To Watch Whole DVD To Know It Was Porn, Appeal Court Rules
    TORONTO — Ontario's appeal court says a judge who convicted a man of violating his supervision order didn't need to watch an entire program in court to know that it was pornography.

    Judge Didn't Need To Watch Whole DVD To Know It Was Porn, Appeal Court Rules

    Agencies Commit To Scrutinize B.C. Coroner's Inquest Directions After Mill Blast

    Agencies Commit To Scrutinize B.C. Coroner's Inquest Directions After Mill Blast
    PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — Agencies targeted in a British Columbia coroner's inquest are committing to review a number of recommendations made after a deadly sawmill explosion in Prince George, B.C.

    Agencies Commit To Scrutinize B.C. Coroner's Inquest Directions After Mill Blast

    Parti Quebecois Leader Turns His Attention To Running The Parti Quebecois

    MONTREAL — Pierre Karl Peladeau, who for years guided the fortunes of a sprawling media empire, will now be running a political party whose ultimate objective is Quebec independence.

    Parti Quebecois Leader Turns His Attention To Running The Parti Quebecois

    Election Debates Must Be 'Equitable,' But Anyone Can Host Them, Says CRTC

    Election Debates Must Be 'Equitable,' But Anyone Can Host Them, Says CRTC
    OTTAWA — The country's broadcast regulator says it's not going to stand in the way of changes to the way federal election debates are conducted, so long as all the major parties get equitable news coverage.

    Election Debates Must Be 'Equitable,' But Anyone Can Host Them, Says CRTC

    17-Year-Old Vancouver Student Wins $75,000 Top Prize At World's Largest High School Science Fair

    17-Year-Old Vancouver Student Wins $75,000 Top Prize At World's Largest High School Science Fair
    Seventeen-year-old Raymond Wang invented a new air circulation system to prevent germs from spreading in airplane cabins.

    17-Year-Old Vancouver Student Wins $75,000 Top Prize At World's Largest High School Science Fair

    Langley Man Allegedly Runs Over Wife, Arrested After Police Chase With Child In Car Backseat

    Langley Man Allegedly Runs Over Wife, Arrested After Police Chase With Child In Car Backseat
    The man is accused of running over his wife on Friday afternoon near 200 Street and 64 Avenue. Police say he then drove away with the little girl in the backseat and headed toward Vancouver.

    Langley Man Allegedly Runs Over Wife, Arrested After Police Chase With Child In Car Backseat