Photo: BC Wildfire Service

This photograph of the Cummings Creek wildfire near Sparwood was taken on Sunday.

BC Wildfire Service crews will be setting up structure protection equipment in Sparwood on Monday as an out-of-control wildfire burns about five kilometres away from the town.

The Cummings Creek fire covers an estimated 43 hectares, burning aggressively in steep, inoperable terrain just west of the community.

In an update posted online on Monday morning, BCWS officials warned Sparwood residents about structure-protection work about to get underway.

“Residents of Sparwood might see an influx of fire apparatus, structure protection unit trailers and personnel today,” the update said.

“Most of these individuals will be structure protection personnel that will be triaging and assessing properties in the Sparwood area.”

According to the BCWS, the work is being done proactively. A structure-protection specialist from the agency is working with the Sparwood fire chief.

“Currently, the community of Sparwood is not imminently threatened, however we want to give our structure protection personnel ample time to deploy structure protection apparatus in the event of the fire progressing closer to the community of Sparwood,” the update said.

Sparwood is a community of about 3,500 people near the Alberta border, east of Cranbrook and north of Fernie.