Some positive news on the wildfire front Saturday: there has not been any significant growth in the Cantilever Bar fire near Lytton over the past two days, according to the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS).
BCWS information officer Paula Walbauer with the organization’s incident management team says the weather in the last couple days is keeping the blaze, which sits at just over 1,200 hectares, from spreading.
“It’s still hot and dry, but we have had lower temperatures, around 32 C today, and our relative humidity has increased,” she said. “Those are really favourable conditions for good firefighting and good opportunities for our firefighters to work the ground.”
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Walbauer says crews are working night and day to limit fire growth near roads and other priority areas, with 77 firefighters and seven helicopters attacking the flames in the area.
There have been over 35,000 lightning strikes across B.C. in recent days, but Walbauer says these have not contributed to the Cantilever Bar fire.
“This wildfire has been investigated and is suspected to be human-caused,” she said.
The fire is highly visible from the section of the Trans Canada Highway that runs through the area, Walbauer says.
“Motorists travelling nearby should drive with extra caution and care to observe and obey the speed limits and be aware of their surroundings,” she said. “Our crews are working in close proximity to Highway 1, so we just want to make sure everyone stays safe.”
The Cantilever Bar wildfire was first discovered July 28. It is approximately 10 kilometres south of Lytton on the west side of the Fraser River. As of Saturday, there are close to 140 active wildfires across the province, with 61 being classified as out of control.
