Fire is ‘not receptive to any sort of suppression activities’: official

The West Kiskatinaw River wildfire burning in northern B.C. — now an estimated 230 square kilometres in size, up from 96 square kilometres on Thursday — is pushing closer to the evacuated town of Tumbler Ridge.

Forrest Tower, an information officer with the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS), said Friday morning the blaze is four to five kilometres away from Highway 52, which runs through Tumbler Ridge.

Meanwhile, the District of Tumbler Ridge is reporting the fire as being “about three kilometres away” from the townsite.

“We continue to see pretty extreme fire behaviour pretty much every day since this fire has started,” Tower told CBC. “We’re expecting it to remain very aggressive starting pretty early this morning, expecting torching, candling.”

Tower said the fire “is not receptive to any sort of suppression activities that we would normally be able to do” and that wind is pushing the fire “in a westerly direction, which is still toward the community of Tumbler Ridge.”

Tower said a wind shift — which would push the fire in the opposite direction — is expected Saturday but noted the shift “might happen a bit early and happen this afternoon.

“If we do get a wind shift, good news for the community,” he said.

Officials also say the West Kiskatinaw fire is burning 15 kilometres away from the nearby Peavine Creek fire, prompting an evacuation order affecting nine homes Thursday evening.

‘Not in the clear’ as of Friday afternoon: official

In a Friday afternoon update, Carly Derosier from the wildfire service said their biggest concern is that the fire will cross Bear Hole Lake Road, which is at the bottom of a valley just east of Tumbler Ridge.

If that happens, Desrosier said the fire will likely head up the slope toward Tumbler Ridge as fires burn more easily uphill.

She said the fire is growing on all sides, not just toward the wind but also against it.

“We are certainly not in the clear at this point, but we are leaning toward a little bit of cautious optimism, hopefully that wind will shift earlier than it is forecasted to,” said Derosier.

On social media, the District of Tumbler Ridge said the wind shift in the westerly direction pushed the fire “parallel to the ridge, about three kilometres away from Tumbler Ridge.

“Ground crews worked to protect homes and property, with cooler temperatures and a change in wind direction predicted along with a chance of light rain in the next 24 hours,” the post read.

Crews work to protect structures

Dustin Curry, fire chief at the district, said they are prioritizing protecting critical infrastructure like the town’s main water reservoir and homes that would likely be hit first by the fire.

As of Friday afternoon, 60 structural protection personnel are on site, with more arriving in the coming days to help. Thirty-one pieces of heavy equipment are on site, assisting in the building of fireguards.

The district said fire rescue personnel are conducting patrols throughout the community, watching for spot fires from falling embers.

RCMP have remained in Tumbler Ridge and are conducting patrols to ensure the safety and security of homes.

Emergency workers are being housed in a local community centre, complete with food, facilities and amenities.

About 2,400 people affected by evacuation order

Highway 52 East and North is closed due to the wildfire, which was discovered Tuesday.

Tumbler Ridge residents were ordered to evacuate on Thursday. According to the district, “the vast majority of residents” had left by 10 p.m., with a “core group” of emergency workers, volunteers and Emergency Operation Centre staff members remaining “on standby,” along with Mayor Darryl Krakowka and council members.

The evacuation order covers the District of Tumbler Ridge, home to roughly 2,400 people in northeastern B.C., as well as properties to the east, including homes at Bearhole Lake.

According to the Peace River Regional District, as of 8 p.m. Thursday, hotels were fully booked in Dawson Creek, 117 kilometres from Tumbler Ridge. Chetwynd — 96 kilometres away — also had no hotel vacancy. Some camping spots were still available in both areas.

Those looking for hotel accommodation are asked to head to Fort St. John — 170 kilometres north of Tumbler Ridge — where they can register at the Pomeroy Sport Centre.

Krakowka says although most residents left Thursday, some remain as of Friday evening, although it is unclear how many have chosen to stay.

‘”We hope the residents are watching and paying attention,” said Krakowka. “That they realize at a point they would have to leave.”

Those in Tumbler Ridge can check the district’s website and Facebook page for updates.

Drought also a factor

While a chance of rain is in the forecast for Saturday, Tumbler Ridge is in an area experiencing drought conditions.

The River Forecast Centre shows snowpack levels at 49 per cent below normal, as is the case for much of the province. The hottest May on record resulted in a rapid melt and record-low snow levels in most B.C. mountains by June 1.

A relatively warm and dry winter and spring, as well as the lingering effects of a drought in the fall of 2022, are also contributing to current conditions.

After possible rain showers Saturday, temperatures in the Tumbler Ridge region on Sunday and Monday are expected to reach 26 C, with no precipitation. Rain showers are a possibility Tuesday through Thursday, with temperatures dipping to about 17 C.