Crews Lose Ground Against Massive Wildfire Near Prince George

Firefighters lost some of their containment over the weekend for the enormous wildfire raging near Prince George.

The Little Bobtail Lake fire was 20 per cent contained on Saturday morning, but by Sunday evening, heavy winds and aggressive fire behaviour caused crews to lose some of the containment from previous days. As of Sunday night, the fire was estimated to be 15 per cent contained.

Photo Credit: B.C. Wildfire Management Branch

The fire grew again on Sunday to 24,000 hectares, an increase of 11,000 hectares since Friday. The fire’s main areas of activity on Sunday were the northwest corner, the southwest corner towards Grizzly Lake, and the southeast towards Bobtail Mountain.

Photo Credit: B.C. Wildfire Management Branch

On Sunday, quiet winds, cool temperatures, and relatively high humidity helped fire crews. Though precipitation is forecasted for the next couple days, the B.C. Wildfire Management Branch notes that the forest is still very dry and it would take significant moisture to decrease the fire risk.

RCMP are investigating the cause of the fire, along with Origin and Cause Investigators from the B.C. Wildfire Management Branch. The wildfire is believed to be human-caused, a serious offense.

Any information about the fire can be called in to Prince George RCMP at 250-561-3300. You can also contact Crime Stoppers anonymously by calling 1-800-222-8477, leaving an online tip, or texting your tip to CRIMES (274637) using keyword "pgtips".

Photo Credit: B.C. Wildfire Management Branch

There are 270 firefighters at the scene trying to contain the blaze, along with 13 helicopters, 22 pieces of heavy equipment, and 8 airtankers. More than 300 personnel have been assigned to the massive fire.

The fire is now moving away from the Cluculz Lake and Highway 16 area, and there has been no loss of structures. The evacuation order is still in effect for 80 residents, and details can be found here.

The blaze was first reported Friday, May 8^th.