The 1,400 HA Spatsum Creek fire that forced evacuations of residences just outside Ashcroft last week is now 95 per cent contained.
(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)
May 21, 2013 - 8:55 AM
UPDATE: 1:30 p.m. May 21, 2013
The Kamloops Fire Centre is now reporting the Spatsum Creek fire is 100 per cent contained. Crews continue to work on hot spots.
8:48 a.m. May 21, 2013
Continued mild weather has helped crews gain control of a fire that quickly grew to 1,400 hectares last week forcing evacuations in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District near Ashcroft.
Crews - 94 firefighters, two helicopters and two pieces of heavy equipment - now have the fire 95 per cent contained and are working at fully extinguishing the north flank of the fire and mopping up the south flank. Hot spots are continuing to be worked on through the aid of the helicopters and what little fire activity remains is scene through smouldering gorund fires and pockets of open flame - mostly on steep slopes where it is hard for crews to get to.
The Spatsum Creek fire, which was first reported more than four weeks ago on April 27, forced nearly 150 people from their homes and closed Hwy 97C last Sunday as high winds fueled the fire closer to residences on Sunday, May 12. It took another five days before the immediate threat of the fire passed and all evacuation alerts coud be rescinded.
To contact a reporter for this story, email jstahn@infotelnews.ca or call (250) 819-3723.
News from © iNFOnews, 2013