The Cisco Road fire continues to burn in the Lytton area this week.
Image Credit: Heather J.E. England
June 16, 2015 - 10:22 AM
LYTTON - The large fire south of Lytton remains active as crews use controlled burns to help further contain the blaze.
The fire, mapped at 1,270 ha this weekend, has not grown significantly over the last couple of days and remains at roughly 20 per cent contained. Controlled burn operations are taking place to the south and northeast sides of the wildfire right now though, which is causing a lot of visible smoke in the surrounding communities as well as from Highway 1.
The controlled burns, which are only being done under proper conditions, are helping to establish control lines and make the area safer for firefighters.
The fire, along with the controlled burns, is generating a lot of smoke and winds are carrying the smoke throughout the fire centre as far as Kamloops and Vernon.
The fire was discovered Thursday, July 11, and quickly grew from 150 ha to about 1,300 ha by the end of the day. Lytton First Nations has issued evacuation orders and alerts and sprinkler operations are in place for structures immediately at risk. The Stein Valley Nlaka’pamux Heritage Park is also on alert, but remains open as of Tuesday morning.
More than 110 firefighters, 10 helicopters and five pieces of heavy equipment are currently on site along with roughly 160 people assigned to the fire.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infonews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2015