The BC Wildfire Service says it continues to see volatile acitivity from wildfires burning in Tahltan territory.
Fire information officer Heather Rice says the Alkali Lake and South Stikine fires continue to be pushed by winds from the southwest, although things weren’t as bad Tuesday as they were the day before.
Rice says the main difficulty for crews trying to protect the remaining buildings in Telegraph Creek is the state of the highway into town.
Rice says both the Alkali Lake Fire, which burned 27 structures in Telegraph Creek, and the South Stikine fire are moving away from the village in a northeasterly direction and the two will likely merge into one larger fire if they haven’t already.
Although smoke is making the fires very difficult to map, the Alkali Lake fire is estimated at 8000 hectares and the South Stikine is at 6000 hectares.
Rice says structural protection units will remain in Telegraph Creek overnight while heavy equipment hopes to clear access to the community along Highway 51 this evening.
She says crews are hoping to slow the progress of the fires, the weather and record drought conditions are not helping.
