A helicopter dropping water on the Lower East Adams Lake fire. (Photo via BC Wildfire Service)
The BC Wildfire Service has gone ahead with a large-scale planned ignition on the Lower East Adams Lake Wildfire.
It says the goal of the planned burn is to reduce the available fuel between the fires edge and nearby communities.
Forrest Tower, with the wildfire service, says the planned burn is the best form of protection moving forward, pointing to the erratic winds set to materialize in the Kamloops Fire Centre by 5 p.m. Thursday.
“This is a wind event that is fairly severe, in terms of wind speed and with those coming from the north, it will be very, very difficult if there is a southern push of the fire overnight in terms of firefighting efforts – both from a structural perspective and a wildland firefighting perspective.”
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As of 3 p.m., southwesterly winds were driving the fire away from the community of Lee Creek.
“With the favourable winds,(the planned burn) it can reduce the further wildfire threat to these communities from Lee Creek to Scotch Creek, and any further progression quite dramatically in terms of improving containment here if there is less fuel for fires to burn in an out of control manner,” said Tower.
Tower says the aerial ignition will produce a significant column of smoke that will be visible from communities along the Shuswap Arm of Shuswap Lake and potentially beyond.
“Given proximity to communities here, it will be highly highly visible, it is about 10 kilometres of ignition if we can get it all done.”
The approaching cold front is expected to cause a 180-degree wind shift, causing strong winds from the north to cause significant growth on the fire towards the south.
Erratic winds and potential convective cells are anticipated to materialize at approximately 5 p.m. and increase in severity through the night.
Meanwhile, residents in the North Shuswap are bracing for the potential of evacuation orders that may come as early as Thursday or Friday this week.
As it stands, an evacuation alert is in place for 2,214 addresses in the communities of Lee Creek and Scotch Creek in the North Shuswap.
