Forest fire crews from Revelstoke are battling a remote blaze that started Thursday alongside the Kinbasket Lake northeast of Golden.
Two three-person initial attack crews, six members of a local unit crew, 10 contract firefighters and a group of air tankers are on scene to battle the 30-hectare fire, which is located 78 kilometres northeast of Golden, said Jordan Turner, a spokesperson with the Southeast Fire Centre.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but Turner said it was likely sparked by a forestry crew working in the area.
The fire danger in the area is currently rated a mix of moderate high, with pockets of extreme – including the area right around Revelstoke.
Turner said the recent heat wave has caused the forests to dry out. With the heat wave expected to continue for another week to 10 days, the danger is likely to increase.
There have been 34 fires throughout the Southeast Fire Centre so far this year, 27 of which were person-caused.
Currently only small campfires are allowed in the southeast and Turner urged people to be careful when starting a fire. With fire activity increasing throughout the province and the rest of the country, battling human-caused fires prevents crews from being deployed where they are badly needed.
Earlier this week, a 20-person unit crew from Revelstoke was deployed to help battle the 4,500-hectare Red Deer Creek fire southeast of Tumbler Ridge, B.C.
To report a wildfire or unattended campfire, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone.