Updated info from BC Wildfire Service as of August 8, 12:45pm
Following a lightning event on the evening of August 5, the Pemberton Fire Zone has seen 13 new fire starts. Three of these fires (V31896, V31860, and V31846) are now Being Held and two are Out (V31837, V31904). Crews continue to action fires where possible with support from contract crews and aviation resources. Many of these fires are in steep, challenging terrain and crew safety is our top priority.
With continued hot and dry conditions in the forecast, additional fires may be discovered, and new starts are anticipated with forecasted lightning. We urge the public to continue following fire prohibitions and be extremely cautious when recreating.
For more information, please visit BC Wildfire Service's interactive map.
August 7 - Original update
There are currently a number of wildfires burning within, or near the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD).
The SLRD continues to monitor this dynamic and evolving situation, and is working closely with BC Wildfire Service to ensure we are up-to-date on the status of each fire.
At the time of issuing this community update, there are currently no structures within the SLRD that are at risk due to these fires.
The following situational awareness update is from the BC Wildfire Services dashboard and is the most up-to-date information at this time. Please note that this information can change quickly; for updates and the latest information, please always check the BC Wildfire Service’s website.
Southern B.C. will see a similar weather pattern persisting from the weekend, with hot and dry conditions and the potential for thunderstorms. Most of the lightning risk is along the spine of the Coast Mountains and in the southeast.
While some precipitation has come with thunder cells over the weekend, hydrophobic soils (soils resistant to water penetration) have been noted in these areas. Above seasonal daytime temperatures and the sun baking the soils mean that these soils are not absorbing precipitation well. This makes plants unable to utilize the full benefit of any moisture that falls and leaves them vulnerable to approaching fire.
Hot dry conditions will continue except in areas that experience cooler temperature and precipitation from thunder cells. Heating and drying will make existing or new fires grow, especially in areas that experience winds from either daytime heating or thunder cells.
SLRD situational awareness:
- 7 fires in the SLRD – all varying in size and status
- There are no ‘Fires of Note’ in the SLRD
- There are no SLRD values at risk
- BC Parks is overseeing wildfire risk in the Birkenhead Lake area.
Electoral Area A
Carpenter Lake area – Kamloops Fire Centre
Near Carpenter Lake south side (K71851): 0.01 hectares / out of control
Near Carpenter Lake east side (K71863): 0.009 hectares / out of control
Electoral Area C
Near Pemberton and Birken – Coastal Fire Centre
Birkenhead 2 (V31836): 5.5 hectares/ out of control
Birken Creek (V31833): .01 hectares/ out of control
Rutherford Creek (V31841): 6 hectares/ out of control
Petersen Creek (V31864): .009 hectares/ out of control
Ure Creek (V31860): being held
Reminder: Evacuation Alerts and Orders are issued through the SLRD's Emergency Alert Notification System; sign up to receive alerts by email, text, or phone.
Emergency preparedness reminders
- Know the hazards – knowing what hazards you need to plan for is the first step
to being prepared.
Visit the FireSmartBC to learn how to make your property resilient to wildfire. The SLRD Wildfire Mitigation Team is on standby, ready to help. Book your Free FireSmart Assessment by email at firesmart@slrd.bc.ca or by phone at 604-384-7323.
- Make an emergency plan for yourself, all members of your household and your pets.
- Prepare your emergency supplies and build your kits:
- Ensure you have supplies, including food, water and necessary medicines, for at least 72 hours.
- Research insurance options and ensure your plan is up-to-date.
- Evacuation routes: understand how you will leave the area.
- Evacuation and recovery resources: Learn what happens in evacuations, what financial assistance you might be eligible for and other recovery resources.
Stay Informed: In an emergency, misinformation is dangerous. Get your information from official sources, and make sure you have access:
- Emergency notifications – sign up for your community’s emergency alert notification system and download the free Alertable app to receive emergency alerts from the Province of B.C.
- Provincial emergency information: Follow Emergency Info BC
- Road conditions: Follow DriveBC
- Wildfire updates: Follow BC Wildfire Service and download the BC Wildfire Service app
- Flood-related advisories: Visit the BC River Forecast Centre