View of 6th avenue facing southward in Kamloops, (R) August 21 (L) July 29/via Paul James
Overnight seeing some growth on the fires on both sides of Kamloops.
BC Wildfire is reporting some growth of the Bush Creek East fire — which is the catch-all name now for the blaze in the Shuswap.
Growth in the Sorrento area has seen officials maintain the closure of the TransCanada in the area, while crews are also working to set up fire lines on the north side of Shuswap Lake in Celista and Magna Bay to move the fire away from properties there.
“Structure protection is working in the Lee Creek Drive area where the fire is backing slowly downslope,” said the BC Wildfire Service on Sunday evening. “Once it gets close enough crews will engage above the structures and start working the perimeter of the fire.”
The Wildfire Service also says it’s working to shore up structural protection to the northwest of Magna Bay.
“Incoming weather systems are influenced by the Tropical Storm Hilary,” said BC Wildfire as of Sunday evening. “Sustained easterly winds are expected to reach 20 kilometres per hour [Monday], with gusts up to 40 kilometres per hour. While the smoke will help to mitigate fire behaviour, there is an ongoing potential for extreme fire behaviour.”
The BC Wildfire Service is also reporting the theft of more of its equipment through Sunday in the area.
Around 45-hundred BC Hydro customers in the region remain without power.
John MacLean with the Columbia Shuswap Regional District says those still in evacuation zones to move out.
“We need to allow BC Wildfire and BC Hydro and the Ministry of Transportation and our fire fighters the space and the safety to do their jobs to protect our homes, our properties,” said MacLean.
Ross Moore Lake fire increases in activity
The BC Wildfire Service is also reporting increased fire growth on the southeastern flank of the Ross Moore Lake fire south of Kamloops.
That includes the area of the Trans Mountain Pipeline.
“There was fire growth across the pipeline in the southeast,” said the BC Wildfire Service Sunday evening. “The fire is currently burning adjacent to Kullagh Lake. Heavy equipment is establishing a guard along this fire growth.
Local roads in the area have been shut down to traffic, while Highway 5A through the area is under a travel advisory, according to DriveBC.
Area surrounding Kullagh Lake south of Kamloops/via Google Maps
Meantime, BC Wildfire is reporting some growth on the southwest flank of the Ross Moore Lake fire.
“Crews are continuing to work on structure protection, guard construction and Fire Smart objectives along the east flank of the fire,” said BC Wildfire. “Crews continue to mop up and monitor for hot spots.”
The fire is still said to be 10-kilometers away from Kamloops on its northern flank, with no growth being reported there.
Smoke covers Kamloops
Heavy smoke from the fires in the Shuswap has enveloped Kamloops.
Smoke from the fires started rolling in heavily during the mid-evening on Sunday and continues this morning to put the city at 10-plus on Environment Canada’s Air Quality Index level.
As of 4am Monday, the International Air Quality Index put the city above 400, which is considered Hazardous.
The forecast does have the smoke easing off somewhat through the afternoon, before it starts to envelop Kamloops once-again this evening.
Environment Canada is forecasting some rain to hit the area Monday evening — possibly 2 to 3-millimeters.
