Thick smoke at the Nohomin Creek fire Thursday. UPDATE: 14:40 Warm temperatures and low humidity led to an increase in fire behavior on the Nohomin Creek Fire on Thursday. Fire Information Officer Karley Desrosiers says the fire is growing in the northern part of the west side of the fire and is showing Category 4 behavior in some areas. “There’s some upward growth on the fire, it’s not spreading fast by any means,” Desrosiers said. “Because of the heat and conditions, it continues to grow uphill and is becoming more visible as fire behavior has increased. It produces more smoke.” The Association of Indian Chiefs of BC posted photos on Twitter showing the huge plume of smoke coming from the fire on Thursday afternoon. Desrosiers says it is currently not spreading further into the Stein Valley, but is moving up the mountain. “It calms down a bit at the top, where the slope isn’t as steep, and we have helicopters dropping buckets … it’s pretty rocky up there,” he said. “Uphill growth is not unusual, especially in this heat and humidity.” Homes that were evacuated when the fire first broke out are on the south and east sides of the fire, and Desrosiers says they haven’t seen any increase in fire behavior there. High temperatures in the Lytton area, and much of southern BC, are forecast to continue into the long weekend.
Fire near Lytton in Stein Valley growing. It spreads very quickly, on the mountainside. pic.twitter.com/4rqGqrOODo — UBCIC (@UBCIC) July 28, 2022 ORIGINAL: 10:10am The largest fire burning in the province saw some increased fire behavior on Wednesday, and warmer temperatures and low humidity on Thursday could see that trend continue. The Nohomin Creek Fire has been burning northwest of Lytton since July 14, and fire behavior has slowed somewhat in the past week. However, the BC Wildfire Service says conditions may turn unfavorable on Thursday. “Today, July 28, temperatures are forecast to reach 41 degrees, with low humidity,” the BCWS says. “There is a low risk of dry lightning and associated winds in the fire area. This could increase fire activity from midday, particularly on south-facing slopes.” The latest mapping of the large fire increased its size estimate to 2,476 hectares, with growth coming on the west side of the fire in the Stein Valley. “In this area, crews are working to establish liquid lines and fuel-free areas. Crews are also patrolling the Stryen Creek area and working to extinguish any remaining hot spots,” BCWS reports. “Over the past few days, the Structure Protection branch has installed 1,150 feet of hose and sprinkler systems, west along the Stein Valley Trail. The purpose of this water supply system is to increase the moisture content of the fuel and the associated moisture in the valley bottoms, to protect park infrastructure and cultural values.” Evacuation orders remain in effect Nohomeen IR 13, Papyum IRs 27, 27A, Lytton IR 27B, Papyum Graveyard 27C and Stryen IR 9. On Wednesday, the BC Wildfire Service released drone footage of 616 meters of a fuel-free containment line that has been constructed on the northwest side of the fire. “Over the course of approximately three days, crews used hand tools to dig down to the mineral soil and create a disruption in fuel continuity in the forest. A fuel-free containment line is a strategically designed barrier constructed manually or mechanically,” BCWS said. “Intended to stop or slow the rate of spread of a fire and from which suppression action is taken to control a fire.” 106 firefighters remain working on the blaze, along with 10 helicopters and three pieces of heavy equipment.
Containment lines are being strengthened on various sections of the Nohomin Creek Fire (K70580). This video shows 616 meters of a fuel-free containment line constructed on the northwest side of the fire. pic.twitter.com/3nQJW8UVvB — BC Wildfire Service (@BCGovFireInfo) July 27, 2022 Photo: BCWS The latest mapping of the Nohomin Creek Fire, as of July 28.
