Two new fires ignite in Elk Valley

Another two wildfires have ignited in the upper Elk Valley, with one a short way from the Cummings Creek wildfire to the west of Sparwood, and another on Wapiti Mountain, above Elkford.

The two fires were started on August 21, over a weekend that saw 100 new wildfires ignited across the province due to lightning strikes.

The fire west of Sparwood, ‘Telford Creek’, is a suspected lightning ignition, while Wapiti Mountain fire’s cause is unknown.

Neither have yet been assessed for level of control, with both still classified as ‘new’ as of Monday, August 21.

Both fires are currently very small – Telford Creek is estimated at 0.01 hectares, while Wapiti Mountain does not yet have an estimate.

The Telford Creek fire is less than 4km from the Cummings Creek wildfire in the Wilson Draw. The Cummings Creek wildfire is between Sparwood and the Telford Creek fire, and remains classed as ‘out of control’ due to the terrain it is burning in.

The Cummings Creek wildfire is set to be downgraded as a fire of note, with the BC Wildfire Service response having achieved containment objectives since the fire was started on August 3 by lightning. That fire does not currently pose a threat to Sparwood, and fire crew response has set up containment lines between the fire and the community that remain in place, even as fire crews are re-deployed to other fires in the East Kootenays.

READ MORE: 11,000 lightning strikes spark nearly 100 new fires: BC Wildfire Service

READ MORE: Cummings Creek fire near Sparwood to be downgraded