BC Wildfire and the Beaverdell Volunteer Fire Department successfully fought back the Solomon Mountain wildfire last week.
In addition to the Beaverdell firefighters, BC Wildfire had deployed 20 personnel, as well as three helicopters to monitor and drop water on the fire.
The blaze was reported on Aug. 18, four kilometres north of Beaverdell. It grew to 17.5 hectares in size, and began to encroach on several properties in the area.
The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary issued an evacuation alert for 44 properties in the area that evening, warning residents along Highway 33, Beacon Road, Boulder Road, and Solomon Road to be ready to evacuate.
The alert was rescinded on Aug. 20, once the fire was considered under control. The final update listed the fire at 23.5 hectares. With the assistance of a bulldozer to provide fireguards, no structures were lost.
BC Wildfire then pivoted to focus on the Carmi Creek fire, which had also been reported on Aug. 18. That fire grew to over 60 hectares, but did not threaten any properties. BC Wildfire had deployed 20 personnel, as well as helicopters and air tankers.
Both the Carmi Creek and Solomon Mountain fires are no longer listed as active by BC Wildfire, and both were caused by lightning strikes.
In the Okanagan, BC Wildfire is still fighting the Christie Mountain wildfire, which is currently listed as 2,035 hectares in size.
The fire was also discovered on Aug. 18, with the cause still under investigation. Deployed on Monday, Aug. 24 were 192 personnel, 15 helicopters, and eight pieces of heavy equipment. Overnight, 32 firefighters were stationed for action. That fire, as of Aug. 24, was listed as minimally active and an evacuation order and alerts were still in place.
In the Central Kootenay region, the Talbot Creek fire 37 kilometres north of Castlegar in the Slocan Valley continued to burn on Aug. 24. The fire stretched over an area of 200 hectares, with 77 firefighters on site with heavy equipment. It was caused by a lightning strike and discovered on Aug. 17