BC Wildfire Service said 11 overwintering wildfires in the Fort Nelson zone have become more visible in recent days, due to warm, dry conditions.

Blazes that burn over winter are also known as holdover or zombie fires, and they burn deep underground into the organic matter of the forest floor through the winter months.

BCWS shared in a post on Friday that these fires have smouldered and were waiting for warmer temperatures to reignite.

Hard-to-access regions, like the fires in Fort Nelson, occur in boreal forest landscapes, primarily made up of mixed wood stands and muskeg, making it challenging for fire crews to use traditional fire suppression efforts with the saturated ground conditions.

Response has been underway since February, BCWS said, using remote sensing and infrared scans to find hotspots.

From there, crews were able to use the winter conditions to their advantage to avoid causing ecological damage.

"More than 15 pieces of heavy equipment—including dozers, feller-bunchers, skidders, excavators, and low beds—have been active in the area. Together, they’ve constructed over 87 kilometres of access trails, fuel-free lines, helipads, and machine guards," BCWS said in an April update.

In one case, an ice bridge was built to allow low beds and vehicles to cross a waterway where the bridge deck had been damaged by fire before.

"The team minimized environmental impact by routing work along existing features such as seismic lines and resource roads," BCWS added.

"Rehabilitation specialists supported this effort, guiding operations to reduce long-term land disturbance and ensure post-operation restoration."

BCWS thanked residents for their patience and support as wildfire response continues in the Fort Nelson Zone.

Photo: BCWS

An illustration of an overwintering fire that's initiated by flames at the surface.