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Nearly 40 wildfires burning in West Kootenay

15 fires burning in Castlegar and Nelson area
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There are almost 40 wildfires burning in the West Kootenay after several days of lightening storms throughout the region.

Particularly hard hit is the area between Nakusp and Shelter Bay where 10 new fires are burning. As of Saturday afternoon, all of those fires remained small, but were still listed as new by the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS).

In the area north of Castlegar and south of Slocan City between Lower Arrow Lake and Nelson, there are 15 fires burning.

Seven of those fires are classified as out of control, two are listed as under control and the rest are listed as new.

The largest fire in the region continues to be the Briggs Creek fire near Kaslo. It has grown to 1703 hectares and is considered a fire of note.

BCWS reports the fire continues to exhibit characteristics of a smoldering surface fire. As the forecast continues to call for increased winds BCWS is expecting fire behavior to increase, making it more visible in the coming days.

Six firefighters and one helicopter were assigned to the fire as of Saturday. Additional helicopters and air tankers are available as needed. Bucketing will also be utilized when it can be reinforced with ground support.

Crews accomplished a successful small ignition on Aug. 10 next to containment lines in the northeast corner of the fire. Those lines will continue to be reinforced and patrolled.

READ MORE: Evacuation orders rescinded as wildfire burns along B.C. Highway 3



betsy.kline@castlegarnews.com

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Betsy Kline

About the Author: Betsy Kline

After spending several years as a freelance writer for the Castlegar News, Betsy joined the editorial staff as a reporter in March of 2015. In 2020, she moved into the editor's position.
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