Sept 1

​

​9:15pm

• No wind

• Cooling down

• Lots of smoke at lake

• Looks to be a quiet night.

• Added video from dock 

​

4:30pm

• BC Wildfire are back!  Structural Protection was doing rounds, not running pumps.

• The team was racing to put out a spot fire on East Tyaughton Rd in unburned area and when we arrived with equipment, 10 minutes after it was spotted, five BCWF personnel were already on the scene and had put it out!

• It was feeling a little lonely when they weren't in the zone, but it's great to know the choppers have been keeping lookout from the sky and reported the fire and the crew was dispatched.

• This particular crew is staying in Gold Bridge.

• No wind right now on lake, quite warm.

• Jeff was showing Doug all the pumps and set-ups that we've been managing so that he is familiarized with everything - prior to our little fire drill - they are back doing that again.

• Plan is to run pumps for an hour tomorrow if it is hot like it is today.

• Fire personnel said that we're unlikely to see any fire growth with current conditions.

​

BC Wildfire Information Sept. 1 at 2:03 p.m. 

Weather

After a few cooler days and widespread precipitation over the Bendor Range Complex, a ridge of high pressure starts to build in the province Friday, leading to warmer and drier weather with mostly sunny skies. Temperatures may reach the mid-20s. This, combined with generally northerly winds, means that we can expect an increase in visible smoke in the area of the active wildfires. Similar conditions are expected for Saturday as the ridge continues to build. Temperatures will be in the upper 20s to low 30s. Sunday is forecast to bring some reprieve with a bit of a cool down as a low pressure system moves into the province.

Fire Update 

Warmer temperatures with moderate winds on Friday are resulting in more visible smoke in some areas of the fire including around Gun Lake and Tyaughton. This activity is occurring within the perimeter of the fire as small pockets of unburnt forest fuel are consumed. “Fuel-finding” is expected in areas where a wildfire has passed through when weather conditions shift from cool and damp to warmer and windier, like in the case of the Downton Lake fire.   

Hazier conditions throughout the Lillooet Fire Zone are a result of smoke drifting through the area from wildfires burning across British Columbia. For information on smoke drift in B.C., including smoke forecasts, visit https://firesmoke.ca/

Firefighters and other personnel are working across the Downton Lake wildfire on Friday, following disruptions that occurred due to Wednesday night’s move from camp due to wildlife. 

Approximately 38 structure protection personnel are monitoring and patrolling the east side of Gun Lake, Tyaughton and Gold Bridge, where they will extinguish hotspots around structures, install sprinklers and other equipment if required, and respond to any threats to properties, structures and other values as needed. 

As of Friday afternoon, no properties, structures or other values were threatened and observed fire activity was not cause for concern. 

Seventy-five firefighters are continuing work on operational objectives. On the east side of the fire, crews are working their way along the north flank using direct attack tactics to suppress the fire and mopping up. Firefighters are also setting up to begin mop up in the Pearson Creek area, east of Tyaughton. Heavy equipment remains in the area to support the crews’ work and respond as needed, while also finishing contingency lines of the east and south of the fire to further minimize the risk of the fire growing in those directions. 

There are 10 helicopters assigned to firefighting activities--bucketing and tanker operations--on Friday, with another five supporting monitoring, patrols and crew movements. 

A new location has been identified for the fire camp. Logistics staff are in the process of moving, setting up and getting the camp operational. 

Area Restriction

The BC Wildfire Service has implemented an area restriction in the vicinity of this wildfire. More information: https://blog.gov.bc.ca/bcwildfire/area-restriction-implemented-for-the-downton-lake-wildfire/

11:15am

• Rained very hard early evening yesterday for several hours, puddles everywhere :)

• No sign of any BCWF personnel at Tyaughton

• Also no machinery, machines are in the same place there were yesterday morning, so not action on that front either.  The fireguards are all completed, so wasn't expecting to see machines as there are no BCWF personnel to support with water tanks etc.

• Quite windy here right now, winds coming from North West.

• It's smokey to the South East of the lake

• The ground is very wet but the temperature is rising and with the winds we'll be keeping an eye on things.

• Overall the crew was feeling very positive this morning, based on the situation on the ground and the fact that Doug returned Tuesday, Jim and Phil left this morning for the city.  That leaves Jeff, Doug, Sue and John.  We've moved from base camp to the lake now.

• Pumps are all filled, most docks have extra Jerry's at them, (however bears have taken out a number of our Jerry's).  No plans to run the pumps but we are ready to if necessary.

• Hoping BCWF comes back soon and deals with the spot fires that are east of the lake, there were barely any visible yesterday, but today with the wind there are lots.

• Overnight was cold, so that helped.

• Helicopters flew over the area doing recon around 11:00am