Community Update #2: Current wildfires in the SLRD

News date
Applicable communities
All Areas

There are currently a number of wildfires burning within, or near the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD).

SLRD situational awareness:

  • Five fires in the SLRD are listed as ‘out of control’
  • There are no ‘Fires of Note’ in the SLRD
  • There are no SLRD values at risk
  • As a precautionary measure, BC Parks has closed Birkenhead Lake Provincial Park. Please visit bcparks.ca/active-advisories for more information on park-related impacts related to wildfires.

Wildfires listed as ‘out of control’:

Electoral Area C
Near Pemberton and Birken – Coastal Fire Centre
Birkenhead Lake (V31836): 219 hectares / out of control
Rutherford Creek (V31841): 30 hectares / out of control
Petersen Creek (V31864): .009 hectares / out of control
(V32024): 0.2 hectares / out of control

Electoral Area D
South of Whistler – Coastal Fire Centre
(V31961): 0.1 hectares / out of control
 

Reminder: Evacuation Alerts and Orders are issued through the SLRD's Emergency Alert Notification System; sign up here to receive alerts by email, text, or phone.

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 Service 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.

After a sustained period of warming and drying, there is a significant chance of lightning in the forecast today for parts of the Southern Interior. We anticipate this will drive new wildfire starts and could intensify fire behaviour seen on existing fires.
A Category 1 (campfire) ban is currently in place in the SLRD. All forms of open burning are banned across the province. Learn about open fire prohibitions in your area. Please continue to observe all prohibitions and restrictions in your area and assist our response efforts by reporting columns of smoke via our BC Wildfire Service mobile app (and include photos please) or by phone to *5555 or 1-800-663-5555. We expect that some lighting strikes from the past week may have ignited fuels, but some fires have been slumbering until relative humidity in the area drops. New fire starts may show themselves over the coming days.   

Overall as of today, August 10, there are 385 active wildfires burning across British Columbia. It is important to be aware of how wildfires and other emergencies may impact you and your community. Ensure you’re referring to trusted sources of information to keep you and your loved ones safe this summer.

For the most up-to-date information available about wildfires, refer to https://wildfiresituation.nrs.gov.bc.ca/dashboard. This public, interactive resource can be accessed through your desktop browser or the BC Wildfire Service mobile app on Apple or Android. Information on this site is collected directly from personnel in the field and is sent to Fire Centres. From there, information on location, size, perimeters, suspected cause, contact information, details about response, maps and images are updated regularly by BC Wildfire Service dispatchers and Information Officers. For more information on how to use the dashboard visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status/about-bcws/appreferenceguide

For the current smoke forecast: visit: https://firesmoke.ca/forecasts/current/

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:

Applicable service
Media contact

Michelle Leroux
Communications Coordinator
Squamish-Lillooet Regional District
Phone: 604.894.6371 x264
Email: mleroux@slrd.bc.ca