The Donnie Creek wildfire has grown into the largest blaze ever recorded in British Columbia, the BC Wildfire Service said Sunday.
The fire, which is burning south of Fort Nelson in northeastern B.C., is now estimated at more than 5,343 square kilometres in size.
It surpasses the Plateau fire that charred 5,210 square kilometres northwest of Williams Lake in 2017 and was previously considered the province’s largest fire.B.C. Wildfire Service Information Officer Marg Drysdale said crews are focused on protecting infrastructure and the Alaska Highway, but expect the blaze to continue to grow throughout the summer.The service lists the fire as out of control, noting that it is highly visible and may pose a threat to public safety.
She explained the fire was started by lightning but is currently the result of about eight fires that grew quickly and merged into one blaze. “It’s really important for people right across the province to understand that we have not hit the fire season that we normally see in July and August,” she said.
“We’re in the middle of June. If conditions continue as they have, if we get a hot summer, we are going to see more impacts.”
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