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Small boat-accessed community on Kootenay Lake under evacuation alert due to fire

Remote community on alert

A small, boat-accessed community near the north end of Kootenay Lake has been placed under an evacuation alert Thursday due to a nearby wildfire.

The Fry Creek wildfire is burning about 15 kilometres north of Kaslo, on the east side of Kootenay Lake. The lightning-caused fire was first discovered on Aug. 25, but it's since grown to about 150 hectares in size.

“The fire is burning in steep and inoperable terrain in the Purcell Wilderness Conservancy that is unsafe for crews to work on directly,” the BC Wildfire Service says.

“The fire has grown over the last few days and is highly visible, particularly at night. As a result of yesterday’s winds, this fire has moved onto the south side of the Fry Creek drainage.”

While the fire did not see the same growth on its south flank, towards Birchdale, the Regional District of Central Kootenay has placed the small community under an evacuation alert, along with the Fry Creek community. An evacuation alert means residents should be prepared to leave their homes at a moment's notice.

BCWS personnel are now in the air and on the ground Thursday planning fire suppression action. This includes assessing a defensible line above the Small Fry Creek drainage and figuring out access into the area.



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