Friday, August 20, 2021
1700 Hours
The CSRD had a number of good-news changes to evacuation orders and alerts today including:
- A downgrade from Evacuation Alert to All Clear for Sicamous, while Swansea Point remains on Evacuation Alert.
- A downgrade of an Evacuation Order to Alert status for the areas of Queest and Pete Martin Bay.
- A downgrade from Evacuation Alert to All Clear for Seymour Arm.
- A downgrade of an Evacuation Order to Alert status for one property at the west end of Humamilt Lake.
More details are available on the CSRD website.
White Rock Lake Fire
- BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) Crews are continuing with low-intensity hand ignitions south of Irish Creek Road and west of Westside Road to secure the edge of the containment line along the northeast perimeter, which impacts the Falkland area. This tactic brings the fire perimeter down to pre-established guards at a lower intensity than it otherwise would naturally.
- Due to this work, smoke in this area will be increasingly visible to surrounding communities.
- No growth has been observed along all fire perimeters north of Highway 97.
- Showers and thunderstorms are in the forecast for Saturday and Sunday.
Shuswap Complex Fires (Momich Lake, Hunakwa Lake, Crazy Creek Gorge, Two Mile Road, and Three Valley Lake.)
General information
- Staff from the Shuswap Emergency Program had an opportunity for a helicopter tour of much of the Shuswap Complex fire areas with the BCWS Shuswap Complex Incident Commander this morning, and it was clear that fire behaviour remains low with all guards currently holding.
- Rank 1 and 2 fire behaviour was observed. This the lowest end of the fire behaviour ranking scale.
- Based on information from this fly-over and other data from fire specialists, BCWS made recommendations to downgrade the various orders and alerts. They will continue to evaluate the status of other alert and order areas regularly.
- Containment lines are still being constructed and are tying in with existing lines to protect communities and direct fire away from them.
- Despite rainfall of 10 to 30 mm earlier in the week, fuels have dried out over the last two days and with the possibility of thunderstorms in the afternoon forecasted gusting winds may result in an increase in fire activity and additional smoke may be observed.
With decreased fire behaviour, this will be the only update for today. Saturday and Sunday will also have just one fire update, unless the fire situation changes and requires additional information to be released.
