BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) crews are working to control two out-of-control fires within the Ootsa Complex, located south of 亚洲天堂 Lake. As of September 9, the Sabina Lake wildfire has burned approximately 56,039.2 hectares, while the Mount Wells fire has consumed around 14,588 hectares. Both fires have led to evacuation alerts in nearby areas.
Today fires within the Ootsa Complex (south of 亚洲天堂 Lake) were displaying Rank 5 fire behaviour which can be characterized as extremely vigorous active crown fire. When fire behaviour like this is observed first responder safety is the top priority. Crews were reallocated to safe zones to reassess operational objectives while aviation resources continued to respond with heli-bucket support. Sabina Lake (R11204) and Mount Wells (R12015) wildfires both remain south of Ootsa Lake. Structure protection is deployed to the north shore of Ootsa Lake, and crews will work overnight to respond to any spotting that may occur. High level infrared scanning will also take place tonight to get accurate mapping of the fire perimeters. Details on these fires can be found on our map: https://wildfiresituation.nrs.gov.bc.ca/map
Posted by on Friday 6 September 2024
From September 6 to 8, smoke from these fires caused air quality in 亚洲天堂 Lake and neighbouring regions to reach hazardous levels, prompting a health advisory. On September 6, the fires exhibited Rank 5 fire behaviour, characterized by extremely vigorous active crown fires. BCWS said that ensuring the safety of first responders is a top priority under these conditions.
To manage the situation, crews were reallocated to safer areas to reassess their operational strategies. Meanwhile, aviation resources provided support through heli-bucket operations. The Sabina Lake and Mount Wells wildfires continue to burn south of Ootsa Lake, with structure protection measures in place on the north shore of the lake. Crews worked overnight to address any potential spotting, and high-level infrared scanning took place to provide accurate mapping of the fire perimeters.
Cooler weather is expected on September 9, with temperatures in the mid-teens and relative humidity around 30 percent. Light west to northwesterly winds at 10 km/h, with gusts up to 20-25 km/h in the afternoon, are forecasted. The day will be dry and partially sunny, following approximately 12 millimetres of rain recorded over the Ootsa Complex on September 8.
In terms of operations, structure protection personnel are maintaining equipment on the south shore of Ootsa Lake and conducting ongoing patrols, BCWS said.
Crews are taking advantage of the cooler conditions to work directly along the fire鈥檚 edge southwest of Adems Lake, focusing on containment from Chief Louie Lake to Adems Lake Road. Heavy machinery continues to work on contingency guards along the east flank near Chelaslie Road, extending to Ootsa Lake. Control lines on the northeast flank have been established, with personnel stationed along Ootsa Main Road to extinguish hot spots as needed. Additionally, crews are removing danger trees and creating fuel-free zones to ensure safe access and egress routes.
