B.C. wildfire crews battle blaze in ancient forest park with 1,000-year-old trees

British Columbia’s wildfire service says crews are battling a 10-hectare blaze in a park that protects a portion of what the province calls the “only inland temperate rainforest in the world,” with trees 1,000 years old.

The Ancient Forest or Chun T’oh Whudujut Park is about 115 kilometres east of Prince George in the traditional territory of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation.

It’s currently closed as the BC Wildfire Service says it’s responding to multiple incidents in the park, with the largest fire spanning 10 hectares.

The service says in a statement on social media that initial attack crews are at the scene and a helipad and water relay system have been established.

But it says the park’s terrain, and ecological and cultural values have challenged suppression efforts.

The blaze is one of about 150 across the province, a figure that’s holding steady from Thursday following an eruption of wildfire activity this week.

An updated provincial situation report on Friday says temperatures have returned to more seasonal levels across the north and rain is forecast on Saturday.

But the wildfire service says southern B.C. remains hot and dry, and a risk of lightning is expected to track east through southern B.C. It says there’s potential for dry lightning to strike in areas where forest fuels are dry and susceptible to ignition.

Environment Canada is maintaining heat warnings for parts of the southern Interior, from the Fraser Canyon to Kelowna, and Nelson to Cranbrook in the southeast.

A campfire ban came into effect Friday across B.C., with the exception of Haida Gwaii.

Two evacuation orders remain in effect due to wildfires in B.C., one for the Fort Nelson First Nation’s Kahntah reserve about 116 kilometres southeast of Fort Nelson, and another covering part of the District of Wells, east of Quesnel.

Meanwhile, the wildfire service no longer lists any “wildfires of note,” referring to blazes that are either highly visible or pose a threat to public safety or infrastructure.

It said on social media late Friday afternoon that the Little Oliver Creek wildfire near Terrace, which was listed as one of two wildfires of note earlier this week, was downgraded to “being held,” meaning it is not projected to grow.

Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma said Thursday that 500 of the province’s full complement of 2,000 firefighters were deployed, but the government was seeking out-of-province help now in case the risk escalates further.

“By being proactive in our request for additional resources, we can ensure that the lag that it often takes for additional resources to come in from out of province doesn’t impact our ability to protect communities,” Ma told a briefing.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 12, 2024.

The Canadian Press