Challenging week ahead battling Shetland Creek fire: BCWS

Wildfire crews battling an “out of control” blaze in B.C.’s interior say they’re bracing for even more challenging conditions over the coming week.

The BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) says the Shetland Creek fire is just under 15,000 hectares and continues to send smoke across the Venables Valley, where a handful of structures have been destroyed.

Evan Peck, a fire behaviour analyst with the BCWS, says the weather conditions are not helping.

“We’re stuck between a high pressure ridge over the Rocky Mountains and in the west side of Alberta, and this low pressure and that’s bringing some pretty significant winds into our area,” said Peck in a video posted to social media.

BCWS Incident Commander Jeff Walsh says the service has 10 helicopters and ground crews fighting the blaze.

“Our main focus currently, is establishing containment lines between Murray Creek drainage and [Teit] Creek,” said Walsh.

Walsh says they now have crews in the area setting up sprinklers and mopping up around structures. He says the fire will likely last a long time, given that started in the middle of the summer.

“Looking forward, we’re continuing hot and dry well into early next week, and we are seeing our winds pick up as more of these upper troughs pass through from this low pressure system off the coast, as that feature kind of influences our weather,” Peck added.

The Shetland Creek fire is believed to be have been caused by lightning. It was discovered on July 12.

Since its discovery, the Village of Cache Creek issued an evacuation alert Friday for multiple properties in Coyote Valley, the Cache Creek Airport, and properties on the east side of the highway from CRC to Coyote Valley.

“We continue to closely monitor the Shetland Creek Wildfire as it is growing quite quickly. As of now the main sections of the Village of Cache Creek are not under any alerts or orders, however we again recommend being prepared to leave should the need arise,” the village said.

Evacuation alerts have already been issued for dozens of properties north of Spences Bridge, west of Highway 1 from Spences Bridge, Cook’s Ferry Indian Band, to just south of Ashcroft.

People on evacuation alert must be ready to leave their homes at a moment’s notice, whereas an evacuation order means the BCWS is recommending you leave your home immediately.

—With files from Hana Mae Nassar.