Easing temperatures expected to aid fight at Nohomin Creek wildfire near Lytton

Photo: BCWS

The Nohomin Creek wildfire near Lytton continues its slow growth.

As of Monday night, the fire was estimated by the BC Wildfire Service to have burned 3,162 hectares.

"There continues to be slow growth at high elevation areas, north of the Stein River, and west into the Stein Valley upslope of the Stein River," the wildfire service says.

"In this area, the fire is burning on steep cliffs and rocky terrain where fuels are sparse and growth is driven by wind and gravity. The rocky slopes and sparse fuels have slowed fire growth in certain areas."

Temperatures are expected to decrease today, and fire behaviour will be primarily wind-driven as atmospheric conditions become more unstable.

Because of the delayed snowmelt this season, fuels at high elevations are more saturated than in valley bottoms.

They are also more sparse and the terrain is rockier, limiting the amount of fuel available to burn. Fire behaviour is likely to slow under these conditions, making the fire more manageable, BCWS says.

There is little-to-no fire activity on the fire's east flank. Crews will locate and extinguish remaining hotspots today.

In the north division, crews continue to establish fuel-free lines and are installing a sprinkler system for reinforcement, north of Seven Mile Creek. To the east, additional crews are patrolling and mopping up areas within the fire’s perimeter. Helicopters are continuing to bucket areas of increased activity.

In the south division, crews are patrolling and mopping up along the fire’s perimeter between Stryen Creek and Nohomin Creek. Crews continue to establish containment lines.