White Rock Lake wildfire reclassified as 'being held'

Photo: OKIB

White Rock Lake wildfire Aug. 29

The White Rock Lake wildfire has been reclassified from under control to being held, as the fire burning above the Banks Creek Drainage has yet to burn its way down to a pre-established control line.

As of Sept. 10, the 83,342 hectare blaze has been re-listed as being held.

Fire Information Officer Hannah Swift says this is not a concern. The majority of the fire remains under control, and the change was specifically because of the Banks Creek section.

“This section of the fire will continue to burn freely and put up smoke until it reaches the control lines where crews can safely extinguish the fires edge,” BCWS said in an update.

According to the BC Wildfire page, being held indicates that sufficient suppression action has been taken so that the fire is not likely to spread beyond existing or predetermined boundaries under the prevailing and forecasted conditions.

When a fire is under control, it has received sufficient suppression action to ensure no further spread of the fire.

All perimeters of the fire are being monitored or patrolled by wildfire management personnel.

Hot spots are actively being identified using thermal imaging technology and all hot spots within 100 feet of the fire perimeter will continue to be extinguished by ground personnel.

On Saturday afternoon crews utilized small hand ignitions to burn out pockets of unburned fuels above the Fintry control line.

“This routine tactic ensures that pockets of unburned fuels within the fire perimeter do not burn on their own terms under unfavourable containment conditions. It also ensures crew safety during mop-up activities,” said BCWS.

The White Rock Lake wildfire is one of two "fires of note" left in B.C., the other being the Octopus Creek fire south of Fauquier.

Fires of note are those given the highest priority due to their intensity and potential danger to communities.