The BC Wildfire Service says the Bush Creek East fire is the top priority when it comes to the allocation of resources.

Information Officer, Forrest Tower, says resources from across the province have been mobilized to increase efforts on the fire that has wreaked havoc in the Adams Lake area and in the North Shuswap.

“Every resource that is made available that is not critical to other firefighting operations, it’s on its way here,” he said, during a CSRD briefing on Wednesday. “So we’re getting 100 to 150, those have been mobilized already.”

“I’ll take the question out of people’s mind of why weren’t they already here. The process started when the fire started to increase in size, and as everything logistically, it takes time to get all the resources from across the province.”

Aerial operations have resumed after Monday’s grounding due to limited visibility because of thick smoke in the area. Tower said helicopters on Tuesday and Wednesday this week have been supporting ground crews who are working upslope of communities in the North Shuswap.

“The idea is, keep [the fire] where it is, limit further spread into other communities, rely on structural firefighters to do their job of working in community, and we’re not expecting at this time any major change in terms of fire growth,” Tower said.

Emergency Management Minister, Bowinn Ma, also said Wednesday, that the BC Wildfire Service will be reaching out to “skilled and experienced people” in the North Shuswap to help bolster the fight against the Bush Creek East fire.

While Tower says people in the area under evacuation should either leave or stay on their own properties, he says if there are people in the Shuswap with a base level of training, safety certifications, and personal protective equipment – they could be hired as emergency firefighters.

“We have a really good model of this on the Ross Moore Lake fire,” Tower said. “We have a really strong engagement from the Knutsford community. Really strong community firefighters group that we have partially hired, so paying some if they do want to sign up for us but a huge contingent of volunteers that are there. We’ve been doing that since July.”

“There are ways we can work together,” Tower added. “If you are there, make yourself known, and you will have to take direction from someone that is an expert and is part of the response mode. If that willingness is there, it can work extremely well and it honestly help us in the long run.”

Fire Activity Expected to Decrease as days become shorter

Tower also noted that says while there is lots of summer left, fire activity is expected to decrease as days become shorter, noting there is the potential for more precipitation and cooler temperatures the closer we get to September.

“We’re getting over the cusp of wildfire season, where weather is improving in our favour,” Tower said. “There’s weeks left a potential active fire behaviour, I just I really want to make that clear. But as of right now, [its] a promising trend of direction.”

The Bush Creek East Fire is still estimated to be 410 square kilometres in size, though that perimeter hasn’t been updated since Sunday.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District said Wednesday there are 11 properties within its jurisdiction in the south Adams Lake area that have been impacted by the Bush Creek East Fire.

A number of properties on the Little Shuswap Lake Indian Band, in the area of Little Shuswap Lake Road are however feared lost. Details are unclear as the band said on Monday it is still assessing the damage.

Assessments are also underway at the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District, with estimates expected to come “relatively quickly,” CSRD EOC Director, Derek Sutherland, said.

“Work is active right now in the community,” he added, noting over 500 rapid damage assessments have been completed in the CSRD.