Bush Creek East wildfire (K21633) community update

BCWildfire Media Release September 3, 2023

Date of detection: July 12, 2023

Location: approximately 23 KM northwest of Chase on the west side of Adams Lake

Size: 43,083 hectares

Status: Out of Control

Cause: suspected lightning

Resources: 46 structure protection personnel, 176 firefighters, 70 support staff (shared between Bush Creek and Ross Moore Lake fires), 54 pieces of heavy equipment and 12 helicopters

Weather

Today: Variable cloud with isolated afternoon showers. Maximum temperatures 17-20 C with relative humidities dropping to about 55%.

OUTLOOK: Monday will see a weak upper ridge cross the region giving temperatures in the low twenties with dry conditions and light south winds. Tuesday will be cooler with temperatures in the teens as the next upper trough tracks over the region. Isolated showers are possible, and winds will be light to moderate from the southwest.

Fire behaviour:

A dry trough will pass through this afternoon, bringing a brief change in wind direction from S/SE to N between 10.00-13.00 and 30kmh gusts for the early afternoon. Residual heat pockets remain on this fire, particularly in the deeper organic layers in some of the Douglas-fir stands. While these are unlikely to show much activity today, these may become active in the coming weeks. Crews are taking advantage of the current downtrend to solidify control lines, mop-up hotspots and address any other heat identified in infrared scans.

Residents will continue to see active fire within the perimeter in the upcoming days.

Crews will continue to work the fire over the next several weeks with cold-trailing and mop-up.

Hazards:

Danger trees (root systems weakened by drought and wildfire) are a focus as winds will increase slightly on Sunday and in areas where trees are unstable it will necessitate particular care on the part of crews working under/near any canopies.

Live hydro lines may still be present – all downed power lines should be treated as live unless advised otherwise by BC Hydro.

Operations

In general fire activity is low. The focus today and in the coming days will be on identifying and mopping up hot spots on the fire perimeter, and in removing danger trees.

Scotch Creek / Lee Creek

• Mop up and patrol is being carried out along the 5400 Road.

• Crews are consolidating the line between Onyx Creek and Meadow Creek before moving to Hilliam Road.

Celista / Magna Bay

• Machine guard is being completed in the area.

Little Shuswap:

• Mop up continues along guards tying into Banshee Rd and patrolling the guards adjacent to Banshee Lake.

• Crews are mopping up between the 400 and Cougar Roads with a 50-foot blackline in standing timber and 20 foot in any areas of regen.

• Crews are mopping up to prevent spread north and to the west of Bruhn Creek.

Turtle Valley/Sorrento

• Resources are being demobbed at Turtle Valley.

• Machine guard is complete from Sorrento, over Black Mountain to Turtle Valley.

• Unit crews from Mexico and South Africa are working on the Sorrento side of the fire today.

Structure Protection: Sprinklers are being demobbed throughout the Adams Complex.

Evacuation Alerts and Orders:

The Sorrento Evacuation Order has been downgraded to an alert by the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD). Complete information on current evacuation alerts and orders is available at the CSRD website: https://www.csrd.bc.ca/206/Shuswap-Emergency-Program