As of Tuesday, Aug. 6 the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) had downgraded evacuation orders to alerts for several properties that were threatened by the Shetland Creek wildfire.
The evacuation order for Venables Valley, which was put in place on July 17, has been downgraded to an alert for all properties in the valley except for 18 where the primary residence was destroyed or the existing residence is uninhabitable at the present time. These properties remain on evacuation order.
The evacuation order was also downgraded to an alert for properties along Oregon Jack Road (Hat Creek Road) which had been placed on evacuation order on July 18, and for five properties at the south end of Hat Creek Valley, which were placed on evacuation order on Aug. 4.
Residents of Venables Valley have been able to access their properties between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily for the last week, but the downgrade to an alert means that residents of those properties will be able to return permanently.
The entire area of the Shetland Creek wildfire between Spences Bridge and Ashcroft — which as of Aug. 6 was estimated at 26,350 hectares — is under an Area Restriction Order. Anyone in the area whose primary or secondary residence there is not under evacuation order may access or return to their property, but the general public is not allowed into or through the area. The order is scheduled to be in place until Aug. 13, but could be extended.
The fire is burning high on the eastern face of Arthur’s Seat above Spences Bridge. Direct attack is not possible at that elevation due to slope and stability challenges, but crews are establishing a water delivery system lower down on Arthur’s Seat, and will extinguish fire and debris that come down the slope.
Structure protection apparatus will remain in place in Spences Bridge until there is no further risk to structures or infrastructure. Isolated hot spots along the southeast flank of the fire will continue to emit smoke and flames, and may be visible from Spences Bridge/Cooks Ferry, but current fire activity is not a threat to existing containment lines along the east flank and the Highway 1 corridor.
In order to prevent the fire from spreading into the Hat Creek Valley on the fire’s northwest flank, crews are establishing water delivery systems and building helipads to the south of Three Sisters and the north of Blue Earth Lake in order to improve access and containment. Structure protection personnel will continue to patrol Hat Creek Valley and Oregon Jack Road until there is no further risk to structures in the area.
Precipitation throughout the area on Aug. 5, along with higher relative humidity and lower temperatures, led to more “subdued” fire behaviour, but typical hot and dry seasonal weather was forecast for later in the week.
As of Aug. 6 there were 185 firefighters and support personnel responding to the Shetland Creek wildfire, made up of BCWS personnel, contract crews, equipment operators, and danger tree assessors and fallers. Twenty-one structure protection personnel were also assigned to the fire, along with 16 helicopters and 43 pieces of heavy equipment.
Just after 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 3, a fire was spotted south of Venables Valley Road S. on the west side of Highway 1. Members of the Cook’s Ferry Band and the BC Wildfire Service’s Lytton Rattlers crew were able to bring the fire under control. Highway 1 between Spences Bridge and Ashcroft is being patrolled, with crews looking for and actioning hot spots, which might produce smoke and flames and be visible from the highway.
While the highway remains open, it could close suddenly and at short notice. Check www.drivebc.ca for highway conditions and closures.
For more information on the Shetland Creek wildfire, and other fires throughout the province, visit the BC Wildfire Service website. For more information about TNRD evacuation alerts and orders, go to www.tnrd.ca.
