Airtankers are among the B.C. Wildfire crews and equipment sent north to help fight fires in Yukon and Alaska this week.
(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)
June 20, 2013 - 5:13 PM
KAMLOOPS – Fire centre crews have been deployed to Yukon and Alaska this week to help with fire suppression efforts following an increase in wildfire activity in the northern areas.
On Tuesday two airtankers and a birddog plan were sent to Palmer, Alaska (northeast of Anchorage) while two three person rappel crews were deployed further northeast and closer to the Yukon border to help out in the community of Tok.
Today, June 20, an agency representative, seven initial attacks crews from the Cariboo and Prince George fire centres and a coordination officer form both the Kamloops and Prince George fire centres—for a total of 23 personnel—were deployed to the Yukon.
These deployments are the second and third out of province deployments this year. Crews can be deployed for up to 19 days but can be recalled at any time. The jurisdiction requesting help is responsible for all associated costs.
In total the Kamloops Fire Centre has responded to 69 fires this year, including a smaller human caused fire earlier this week. The largest fire so far this year has been the Spatsum Creek fire, which began April 27, consumed more than 1,400 hectares and forced evacuations near Ashcroft. Crews are still patrolling that fire and putting out hot spots as needed.
To contact a reporter for this story, email jstahn@infotelnews.ca, call (250)819-3723 or tweet @JennStahn.
News from © iNFOnews, 2013