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Lightning overnight sparks small fires in Shuswap

Kamloops Fire Centre investigating, describes them as spot-sized
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A BC Wildfire Map Friday, June 14 shows two small lightning-sparked fires near Celista, one at the north end of Adams Lake, two south and west of Chase, two near the Barriere lakes and one north of Revelstoke. (BC Wildfire image)

About five small fires were sparked by lightning in and around the Shuswap on Thursday night.

Two fires popped up in the Celista area in the North Shuswap and one at the north end of Adams Lake, reports Nicole Bonnett, fire information officer at the Kamloops Fire Centre.

Before noon on Friday, June 14, a “bird dog” plane was doing reconnaissance over the area to get a better idea of what’s happening, says Bonnett, but ground crews will provide the best information.

She said three wildfire personnel are on the ground at the Celista fire that’s closest, north of Leopold Road. The other is farther north near Crowfoot Mountain.

The fire at the north end of Adams Lake is on the east side and appears to be across the lake from the Adams Lake Marine Park Refuge Bay site.

To the east, a fire is showing up near Martha Creek north of Revelstoke.

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There are also two fires on the BC Wildfire map to the south and west of Chase, one near McNulty Road and one near Harper Creek. Bonnett says there are also two in the Barriere lakes area.

She describes all the fires as spot-sized and notes that a computer glitch lists the new fires as human-caused on the Wildfire BC interactive map, when they’re all actually caused by lightning.

Bonnett is not sure when more information will be available but likely before late afternoon.


@SalmonArm
marthawickett@saobserver.net

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Martha Wickett

About the Author: Martha Wickett

came to Salmon Arm in May of 2004 to work at the Observer. I was looking for a change from the hustle and bustle of the Lower Mainland, where I had spent more than a decade working in community newspapers.
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