Ignitions planned for massive Donnie Creek wildfire complex to protect highway

The massive Donnie Creek wildfire complex burning in the northeastern part of B.C. remains a challenging and dynamic situation for crews and residents.

The BC Wildfire Service said crews will be conducting planned ignitions on the fire on Thursday in order to protect the Alaska Highway, Highway 97 corridor linking Fort Nelson and Fort St. John.

Meanwhile, the Peavine Creek wildfire and the West Kiskatinaw River wildfire, which are burning south of Dawson Creek, have forced some new evacuation alerts and changes from the Peace River Regional District.

The Peavine Creek wildfire, which is now an estimated 4,427 hectares, has forced evacuation order #1 to be cancelled and that area is now under evacuation alert.

This affects nine properties.

The Peace River Regional District has issued an alert for the following areas:

• From the intersection of the Gunter Bridge and Highway 52 East, travel east to the B.C.-Alberta border.
• From the B.C.-Alberta border travel south for 14 kilometres
• Continue west to the Pembina Steeprock Gas Plant
• Continue southwest to approximate kilometres 212 on Highway 52 East
• Continue north along Highway 52 East to approximately kilometre 214 on Highway 52 East
• Continue west for approximately 1.5 kilometres then travel north for approximately 1.0 kilometres
• Continue due west to the Kiskatinaw River
• Follow the Kiskatinaw River northwest to the One Island Lake Bridge
• Continue northeast along the south side of One Island Lake road to Gunter Bridge

Peavine Creek Evacuation Alert #2 includes all of the areas that were previously under Peavine Creek Evacuation Order #1 and a small area that was previously under West Kiskatinaw Evacuation Order #3.

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The Kelly Lake community and other areas listed below that were previously under the Peavine Creek Evacuation Alert #1, are no longer under an alert:

• from the B.C.-Alberta border east past km 235 of Highway 52 East
• south to the One Island Lake Bridge
• northeast along the north side of One Island Lake road to Gunter Bridge
• east to the B.C.-Alberta Border; and
• north along the B.C.-Alberta border for 22 kilometres.

As well as areas:

• from kilometre 212 of Highway 52 East south along the east side of the highway to kilometre 194
• east to the B.C.-Alberta border
• north along the B.C.-Alberta border for 21.5 kilometres
• east to kilometre 212 of Highway 52 East.

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Residents of the community of Tumbler Ridge will soon be back in their homes as the evacuation order has been downgraded to an alert.

Tumbler Ridge has roughly 2,400 community members who have been evacuated due to the out-of-control West Kiskatinaw River wildfire.

“I am happy to say we can have our residents back in town,“ Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka told Global News Thursday.

There is also a small area that extends south from Cutbank Creek and east to Highway 52 that is now under Peavine Creek Evacuation Alert #2.

The Peace River Regional District has issued a new Evacuation Alert for the West Kiskatinaw River wildfire due to potential risk to health and life safety.

West Kiskatinaw River Evacuation Alert #2 includes properties that were previously under the West Kiskatinaw Evacuation Order #3.

It affects the following areas:

• starting at approximately kilometres 64 on Highway 52 North, travel south along Highway 97 North to the Tumbler Ridge Boundary maintaining a buffer of 1 kilometre east of Highway 52 North;
• follow the Tumbler Ridge boundary west to Highway 29 South and the PRRD boundary, including Moose Lake and Moose Lake Forestry Service Road; and
• travel northeast to a point of intersection at approximately kilometre 64 on Highway 52 North.

There are no changes to Donnie Creek/Tommy Lakes evacuation orders and alerts at this time.