A wildfire is burning out of control northwest of Revelstoke near the Mica Dam.
The wildfire was discovered on Saturday (June 3) at Soards Creek, but it’s unclear when the fire started. BC Wildfire Service currently has the fire marked ‘out of control’ on its wildfire map. The cause of the fire remains unknown at this time, but BC Wildfire Services said it could be a holdover fire from lightning in late May.
The size of the fire on the BC Wildfire map says 200 hectares, but BC Wildfire Services said the blaze is actually more than 700 hectares, but the map has yet to be updated.
A holdover fire occurs when a small fire smoulders quietly after a lightning strike or some other source of ignition, until it eventually reignites, causing a larger fire.
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Two attack crews comprised of 52 people are currently battling the blaze on the southern front using three helicopters and three pieces of heavy equipment. The northern front is inaccessible.
The growth of the is the result of strong winds, causing it to move uphill in the steep, mountainous, terrain.
Despite the fire’s size, it’s not expected to be a threat to infrastructure as of right now.
Revelstoke could see some smoke over the coming days, predominantly neighbouring Alberta fires.
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@ZacharyDelaney
zach.delaney@revelstokereview.com
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