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By Kate Bouey
Firefighter Numbers Double on N. Okanaga

Firefighter Numbers Double on N. Okanagan Lines

Aug 17, 2018 | 12:55 PM

The number of personnel on North Okanagan wildfire lines has climbed from 58 to 130.

BC Wildfire Service spokesperson Brenna Ward said additional resources have been brought in to handle a series of fires burning in the region.

As well, Ward said a large, Ontario-based incident management team has replaced a Parks Canada team on the Monashee Complex fires.

“We did bring in additional resources today,” Ward explained. “As well, the Monashee Complex fires transitioned to a new incident management from Ontario yesterday and that incident management team has a higher number of personnel than the Parks Canada incident management team.”

The firefighters, along with support workers, now number 175, said Ward. Many are camped near Lumby.

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Ward said most of the action continues to be on the three major fires in the region, called Mabel Creek, Sugar Mountain and Harris Creek.

All three of those fires were to be assessed by air today to check both size and fire behaviour.

Currently, the Mabel Creek fire stands at 1,861 hectares in size.

Ward said a new fire began yesterday, north of Highway 6 and just eight kilometres northwest of Cherryville.

The new Woodward Creek fire is five hectares in size and has been fought by helicopters.

Ward said that fire will also be assessed today.

(Photo of Monashee Complex fire courtesy of the BC Wildfire Service)

by Kate Bouey

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