Quesnel, Cariboo Observer

The Ainslie Creek wildfire, between Highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon, Highway 5 (Coquihalla), and Highway 8, was estimated at 65,086 hectares as of Sunday morning (Aug. 16) and is still burning out of control. Highway 1 through the Fraser Canyon remains closed between Toll Road (Yale) and Aspen Road (south of Boston Bar), with no estimated date of reopening. Highways 5 and 8 are still open, but could close suddenly and with little notice. For up-to-date highway closure information, visit DriveBC.

The Pear Lake wildfire near Clinton received some precipitation on Saturday, but it is still burning out of control, and as of Sunday morning (Aug. 16) was estimated at 159,317 hectares. BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) says that while Saturday’s precipitation will have a positive impact in the short-term, it comes after a prolonged period of drought in the area, meaning fuels will quickly dry out and be more susceptible to ignition.

An evacuation order has been issued by the City of Revelstoke for the Fish River Road and Incomappleux River Forest Service Road area due to wildfire activity in the vicinity of Beaton. The city issued the order Saturday afternoon on behalf of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) Electoral Area B, and on the advice of BC Wildfire Service.

A petition to recall Tara Armstrong hasn’t gone live yet, but a small group of protesters in Coldstream are already making sure residents are aware of the effort to remove the Kelowna–Lake Country–Coldstream MLA from office. About half a dozen Coldstream residents took to the corner of Kalamalka Lake Road and Westkal Road Friday, Aug. 14, bearing signs that highlighted the Recall Tara Armstrong campaign.

There have been no new evacuation orders or alerts issued since Aug. 11 in response to the Ainslie Creek wildfire, which continues to burn out of control between Highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon and Highway 5 (Coquihalla). As of Saturday (Aug. 15), the fire was estimated at 64,674 hectares. At its northeastern tip the fire is burning towards Highway 8 at Nooaitch, while on the southeast it is burning towards Highway 5.

As of Saturday morning (Aug. 15), the Pear Lake wildfire near Clinton was estimated at 157,448 hectares and is still listed as Out of Control. The nearby Rim Lake wildfire, between Loon Lake and Clinton, had previously been listed as Being Held. It has now been classed as part of the Pear Lake fire, which crossed the Bonaparte River and joined with the Rim Lake fire.

Around 300 firefighters and 15 helicopters are battling the Bald Range wildfire, one day after some evacuation orders related to the blaze were downgraded to alerts. Residents in the Trout Creek neighbourhood of Summerland, for properties east of Highway 97, were told they could go home early Friday afternoon. Evacuation orders for all properties in the Peachland and Electoral Area West areas were also downgraded to alerts.

Highway 97 between Clinton and 70 Mile House will be reopening to all traffic in both directions as of noon on Saturday (Aug. 15), but non-local drivers are not allowed to stop at any time. The highway has been closed since July 24 due to the Pear Lake wildfire.

Citing public safety concerns, the B.C. government is starting to permanently close off a forest service road (FSR) near Trout Lake that accesses homes and runs up the Incomappleux River toward Glacier National Park. Property owners, backcountry users, industry and environmentalists have voiced outrage over the province’s plans, describing lack of meaningful consultation and a strong rationale for the road to remain accessible.

On a bright and sunny Wednesday morning last week, a dozen children and their families went birding around the 100 Mile Marsh. With tiny binoculars, magnifying lenses and a lot of enthusiasm, the children followed local birder Paul Foth as he guided them on how best to look for birds. The children were all attendees of the Cariboo Chilcotin Partners for Literacy’s Outdoor Adventures Play Group, which invited Foth to lead the walk.