Where there’s smoke there’s no fire.
A heavy, smoky haze hanging in the Greater Trail air is deceiving.
According to the Southeast Fire Centre area—which includes Greater Trail and the West Kootenay—the haze is from fires burning in the U.S, and not from any rash of local fires.
In fact, the fire season in the Southeast is so slow at 114 fires to-date it is remarkably behind the five-year average of 316. This year’s total of hectares burned also is low, sitting at 332 ha. Compared to 4,185 ha. on the average.
Most of the activity right now in the Southeast is in East Kootenay, where a spattering of lightning Monday caused new fires.
In that region, the Brewer Creek fire south of Invermere was estimated at 30 hectares Monday. Started by lightning, the fire had 22 firefighters, three helicopters and four pieces of heavy equipment assigned to contain it.