Wildfire crews have brought a blaze near Kitimat officially under control. Since its discovery Aug.17 the fire has burned through 2.2 hectares of land on the town's northeast edge.
"It is now 'Under Control.' That means suppression efforts have ensured it will not spread beyond the current perimeter," said BC Wildfire Service information officer Kaitlyn Bailey.
Service crews will continue to patrol and monitor the area to address hotspots over the following two days.
Bailey said firefighters will be working inward from the outer edges, but cautioned that there are still pockets of fuel that crews cannot access due to hazardous trees. These pockets might ignite and be visible from town, but this is to be expected and should not cause alarm.
A District of Kitimat notice earlier Aug. 21 declared the fire "out," but later clarified the term was used in error. Bailey said the language choice was understandable, but technically premature.
"There are still a few conditions that have to be met before we can call it officially 'out'," she said.
In its public notice, the District reassured residents that the fire did not pose any threat to the community or infrastructure. “Residents are encouraged to stay away from the area as fire crews wrap up work,” the district stated. The notice also mentioned that the Fire Mountain Shooting Range, near to where the fire originated, would be closed until further notice.
The fire is believed to be human-caused, which will trigger an investigation by Origin and Cause Specialists with BC Wildfire Service, and potentially further through the Control and Enforcement Branch. However, Bailey said it will likely "take a very long time" for investigators to reach any conclusions.
The wildfire, less than three kilometres northeast of Kitimat, prompted a “full response” due to its proximity to the community. This led to immediate action and will remain a priority status until the fire is fully extinguished, said Bailey.
With the assistance of the Haisla Nation and District of Kitimat fire departments, after three days of burning out of control the fire was relisted as "held" on Aug. 20 after crews had fully encircled the fire’s perimeter with hoses, ensuring water access to all edges. The fire’s status was downgraded further to “Under Control” by the morning of Aug. 21.
Upon the fire's discovery, an Initial Attack Crew was dispatched alongside a bird-dog aircraft and an air tanker. The air tanker delivered two loads of fire retardant before nightfall on the first day, helping to slow the fire’s spread. These aerial efforts were crucial in supporting ground crews, who were assessing danger trees and performing tree-felling to create a fire break. A heavy-lift helicopter was also deployed to support ground operations by transporting equipment and water to difficult-to-reach areas of the fire.
The District of Kitimat issued warnings against active drone users potentially obstructing aerial firefighting efforts. Flying drones near wildfires is punishable by fines and prison sentences under both provincial and federal laws.
