Smoke rises from the 10,500-hectare Battleship Mountain wildfire on Saturday. The fire, believed to have been caused by lightning, is burning in the Prince George Fire Center area. An aggressive wildfire burning in the Prince George Fire Center area has grown to 10,500 hectares since it was discovered less than a week ago. The Battleship Mountain blaze – the largest wildfire currently burning in the province – was discovered on August 30 and is believed to have been sparked by lightning. According to the BC Wildfire Service, the fire is burning 50 kilometers west of Hudson’s Hope, an area municipality located about an hour’s drive west of Fort St. John. In an update Sunday morning, BCWS said high winds and dry conditions contributed to the fire’s spread over the weekend. “Observed aggressive fire behavior was observed on Battleship Mountain yesterday [Saturday]mainly in the northeast, and was driven by the wind,” BCWS said. “Hot and dry condition[s] led to a rank 4 fire behavior at the head of the fire.” BCWS said more fire growth is expected Sunday and Monday due to stormy conditions. BCWS fire information officer Sarah Hall said sustained winds of 15 to 30 km/h with gusts up to 45 km/h are expected over the next two days. Hall said if winds reach 70 km/h, aircraft assigned to fight the fire could become stranded. According to BCWS, there are 13 helicopters assigned to fight fires within the Battleship complex — a cluster of several nearby fires, including the Battleship Mountain fire. There are five firefighters and a structural protection specialist assigned to the battleship fire, and more unit crews are expected to arrive Sunday to battle the blaze. Hall said there have been some challenges for crews wanting to access the Battleship fire. “We’re just trying to make sure crews are working to develop the safest access and egress routes over the next few days,” Hall said. Hall said an incident management team has taken command of the cluster of fires and resources are being shared between fires as needed. “We’re just continuing to evaluate and rotate when those resources become available and when they can actually come from a different fire in that complex,” Hall said. The Battleship Mountain fire has prompted some alerts and evacuation orders. The District of Hudson’s Hope declared a local state of emergency on Saturday, September 3 due to the fire. On Saturday, the district issued an evacuation order for some properties and an evacuation alert for the township. More information can be found on the district’s website. The Peace River Regional District also issued an evacuation order on Saturday for some properties within Constituency E, urging those living in affected areas to leave immediately. “Winds are expected to reach up to 70km/h on Sunday, September 4, which could increase the fire’s spread to 30m/min,” the regional district said in a statement. “If this happens, there is an increased risk that the Johnson Creek FSR will become impassable and limit people’s ability to evacuate safely.” An evacuation warning has also been issued for some properties within Battleship Mountain and Carbon Lake: Electoral Areas B and E. Residents in these areas are encouraged to pack — including important documents, medicine, clothing and souvenirs — and prepare to leave if necessary. More information about these evacuation notices and orders can be found on the regional district’s website. Photo: BC Wildfire Service The 10,500-hectare Battleship Mountain fire burning in the Prince George Fire Center area on Saturday, September 3.
