Heavy smoke hindering 'unprecedented' wildfire fight in B.C.'s Shuswap

The fight is far from over in B.C.’s North Shuswap region, where a wildfire has burned homes and businesses in multiple communities to the ground.

Blind Bay resident Darrell Nobbs told CTV News the scene was like a “warzone,” or something you’d see in a movie.

What used to be known as the Lower East Adams Lake and Bush Creek East fires have merged, and is now dubbed the Bush Creek East fire. According to BC Wildfire Service, the blaze measures 41,000 hectares, but poor visibility is preventing an accurate perimeter measurement.

On the ground, an exact size measurement isn’t needed to see how devastating the fire has been.

“This is the largest fire we've ever had to deal with,” John MacLean, risk management officer for the Shuswap Emergency Operations Centre, told CTV News Sunday. "This is unprecedented."

He said the flames are in and amongst homes in all of the communities in the North Shuswap, including Lee Creek, Scotch Creek, Celista, Magna Bay and Sorrento. The flames are encroaching on the Skwlax te Secwepemculecw and Adams Lake First Nations.

The fire ran 20 kilometres in just 12 hours on Friday, triggering an evacuation order for around 4,600 properties in the Columbia Shuswap Regional District. Another 846 properties are on evacuation alert.

A handful of Talana Bay residents stayed behind to help with the fire fight in a small cove, and managed to save all but one home. One resident noted to CTV News that those who stayed have firefighting experience.

The exact number of properties destroyed by the fire is unknown, but posts on social media present a grim situation.

“I would much prefer that we were able to communicate the loss of structures to people that own those structures. That's a grieving process. It's a loss to them. It's a personal loss. I would much rather be able to do that in a discreet and meaningful way,” MacLean said.

“But we are in this weird world where cell phones and cameras exist. So we do the best that we can”

A map of the evacuation orders and alerts in the North Shuswap (Thompson Nicola Regional District)The regional district said lower temperatures and reduced winds have decreased fire behaviour in the area, but a huge challenge facing fire crews Sunday is the thick smoke covering the area, which is preventing aircraft from attacking the blaze from above.

“You can see the smoke, you can smell the smoke, you can taste the smoke. We're hoping in the next few days that that might change with some wind direction changes,” MacLean said.

Under Canadian aviation standards, one-mile visibility is required to fly helicopters. 14 of these aircraft are assigned to the Adams fire complex, according to BC Wildfire Service, and they’ll get off the ground as soon as they can.

“As soon as they have that, they're going to want to put helicopters up so that they can bucket, they can put the planes up, the skimmers up and put moisture on those fires,” MacLean said.

“Those are good pilots and their crew safety is vital. So the minute they're legally able to fly, I know they will.”

In addition to the 14 helicopters, 114 BCWS firefighters are assigned to the blaze, including crews from Brazil, and 59 pieces of heavy equipment, 43 structure protection personnel and 50 pieces of structure protection equipment have been deployed.

FIRE EQUIPMENT STOLEN

On Sunday afternoon, BCWS said a number of pumps, sprinklers, hoses and ATVs had been taken or moved in the North Shuswap area, which is “critically impacting the effectiveness” of structural protection efforts.

“First responders and community members working tirelessly in our communities need this essential equipment on the ground. We understand frustration and fear exist, but the professionals relying on this equipment need it to continue to fight these fires,” BCWS wrote.

The agency said sprinklers, pumps and hoses that were set up on the Scotch Creek bridge have been stolen three separate times.

“Our equipment is actively saving essential services, critical infrastructure and people's homes. If you see the equipment unattended, please leave it in place. Experts in structure protection have put gear where it is most effective and to cover the largest area possible,” BCWS continued.

BCWS urged people remaining in evacuation zones to report criminal activity to the RCMP, and said that there would be an increased police presence in the area starting Sunday to address the issue of stolen equipment.