An aggressive wildfire is still burning 50 kilometres southwest of Prince George and an estimated 80 people have been evacuated from their homes.
Hot, dry and windy conditions continue to be a problem for wildfire personnel as the fire has grown to 3,500 hectares in size. The Little Bobtail wildfire is located 2.5 kilometres south of Norman Lake, one of the communities under an evacuation order.
The Little Bobtail fire on Monday, May 11th (Photo Credit: BC Wildfire Management Branch)
Firefighters worked through the night on Monday to establish a guard around the fire on the south side. Four helicopters are on site to provide bucketing support and more than 100 crew members are on the ground. Smoke from the fire is visible from Highway 16 and surrounding communities including Prince George, Quesnel, and Williams Lake. Fire is currently most active on the west side and is no longer moving towards Norman Lake.
An Evacuation Order remains in place for areas near Little Bobtail Lake and Naltesby Lake by the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako and an alert is in place for areas north and west of Little Bobtail Lake and Naltesby Lake. An Evacuation Order remains in effect for areas around Norman Lake and Dahl Lake Road by the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George. An alert is in place for Bednesti Lake and Berman Lake area.
The Little Bobtail fire on Monday, May 11th. (Photo Credit: BC Wildfire Management Branch)
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation but it is suspected to be human-caused. An additional 40 personnel are expected to arrive on site Tuesday to assist with the fire, which was discovered on Saturday, May 9th.
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