Slow and steady but effective work continues on the wildfires burning in the Central Cariboo.
That’s how Fire Information Officer Melinda Paplawski describes what’s happening with the White Lake and Wildwood fires that are the two largest near the City of Williams Lake.
Paplawski says while the rain yesterday certainly wasn’t enough to help them reduce the size of those fires, it does allow them to be on the offensive, rather than the defensive.
“We at least get a break from dealing with a lot of active fires so it allows everyone to spend more time working on those perimeters and securing some things that they don’t have time to get to when they have to deal with a lot of hot spotting and active flames.”
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Paplawski says the White Lake fire remains about seven kilometres Northwest of Williams Lake.
“Yesterday was just an opportunity to get a little more work done than we would have otherwise. They are going to continue to keep an eye on the houses and infrastructure out there. They have a structure protection unit out there and they do have a plan for some structure protection.”
She says they made a little progress on the Wildwood fire which is more than 13,000 hectares in size.
”They were working on utility lines with BC Hydro and other infrastructure as well and trying to keep roads open.”
Paplawski says the work on these fires will very likely continue into the fall.
“Even if the weather cooperated with an extended period of rain there is still clean up and hot spots that have to be taken care of. Once the fires get to be this size and to this complexity, it is going to be a long haul.”
Paplawski also reports slow but steady progress on the Soda Creek and Spokin Lake wildfires.
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