Brian McDonald
A Canadian city is bracing for what its mayor says could be its “last stand” against an out-of-control wildfire that has already burned more than 13,000 acres.
As of Monday, the Parker Lake Wildfire in British Columbia had grown to 5,280 hectares, or 13,047 acres, the BC Wildfire Service said. It is currently considered “out of control”.
Cliff Chapman, director of provincial operations for the service, said during a summary on Sunday, wildfire activity in the area around Fort Nelson “increased dramatically.”
“The Parker Lake wildfire began west of Fort Nelson on May 10 and has exhibited rapid growth and high fire behavior,” he said, saying response teams were immediately dispatched to the area to help prepare the region and assist in evacuations. “…Extreme winds and dry conditions brought this fire to the community of Fort Nelson.”
He said the fire is “aggressive” and that highways in the region are closed.
“If you are still in Fort Nelson or anywhere in the evacuation order of the Parker Lake wildfire, I encourage you to get out,” Chapman said. “Fuels are drier than ever. The wind will be sustained and will push the fire towards the community. Escape routes may be compromised and visibility will be poor as the fire continues to grow.”
Fire behavior expert Ben Boghean said the next few days would be “challenging” as winds on Monday were expected to reach around 20 kilometers per hour.
“Our current fire behavior projections show that the Fort Nelson community may be impacted during the morning of May 13,” he said, adding that fire behavior is expected to be somewhat reduced on Tuesday, but the threat of fire remains until rain hits the area.
The Parker Lake fire comes as the region continues to face several years of drought, Boghean said, with last winter seeing below-normal levels of snowpack only adding to the problem. This combination made fires in the region’s forests more likely and easier to spread. Four hours after the fire was detected on May 10, Boghean said it grew nearly five miles amid high winds.
“This rapid growth has highlighted how dry and volatile forest fuels are here and how much potential there is for extreme fire behavior in the area when sustained winds reach 15 kilometers per hour (about 9 miles per hour),” he said.
Rob Fraser, mayor of the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, based in Fort Nelson, told The Canadian Press that authorities and first responders are preparing for what could be “the problem” for the city.last Stand“against the approaching fire.
“That’s exactly the worst-case scenario,” he said. “The first one is two or three kilometers away [less than 2 miles]and if we have westerly winds like we had on Friday…it will be extremely difficult to stop it from moving into the community.”
On Sunday, Fraser said there were still dozens of families, up to 150 people, in and around the city who had not been evacuated. If they remain, he warned, they could see the availability of electricity or water significantly reduced or even stopped altogether as those supplies go to firefighters.
“They will be in their homes thinking they can use their own sprinklers and electric pumps and that kind of thing to help themselves,” he warned, “and they will find that the resources they need are gone.”
Parker Lake Wildifre is one of more than 130 in the Canadian province, eight of which began in the past 24 hours, according to the BC Wildfire Service. While 10% of these fires are considered out of control, Parker Lake remains the only “newsworthy” fire, according to the agency, meaning it is highly visible or poses a potential threat to public safety.
Canadian officials previously warned that this year could see another catastrophic season after last year’s destructive fires. So far, the country has recorded 823 forest fires in 2024, a number well above the 10-year average of 717, although the hectares burned remain below that average. There are currently six uncontrolled fires across Canada.
“The number of fires is well above average for this time of year and well below the 10-year average for area burned at this time of year,” the report said. National Report on the Forest Fire Situation said on May 8.
Americans are familiar with Canada’s raging wildfires, after last summer’s fires sent thick smoke across several states. On Monday, at least two states reported air quality impacts. Minnesota was under an air quality alert on Monday, with conditions considered unhealthy for sensitive groups in some areas, although these conditions were expected to improve throughout the day.
Wisconsin is also expected to see a decrease in air quality on Monday, according to the site National Weather Service station. These conditions should also improve throughout the day.
Li Cohen
