Update from BCWF on Eagle Bluff - Planned Ignitions

BC Wildfire Service

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Weather conditions over the past few days have led to increased activity and growth on the west flank of the Eagle Bluff wildfire (K52318), located west of Osoyoos. These weather conditions are expected to continue in the coming days, with fire activity and fire behaviour anticipated to increase in the afternoons when temperatures are highest and relative humidity is lowest.

The BC Wildfire Service Incident Management Team managing the Eagle Bluff wildfire on the Canadian side of the border is coordinating response efforts with the U.S Incident Management Team managing the fire on the U.S. side of the border.

Operational response tactics are being coordinated and plans are in place to conduct ignition operations along the western flank of the fire. Both teams will be working together to tie in the U.S. planned ignition on the south side of the border and the planned ignition on the north side of the border.

The ignition operation will occur between Nighthawk Road, follow existing road networks into Canada, where it will be tied into Frank Lake and then run adjacent to Highway 3, along the base of the slope.

The planned ignition will cover up to 1,000 hectares where the fire is burning is in steep and rocky terrain that poses safety risks to crews and heavy equipment. The ignition operation will be conducted by a combination of hand and aerial tactics with support from ground personnel, structure protection personnel and aerial resources.

The purpose of the planned ignition is to remove unburnt fuel in an intentional way to secure the control line and achieve containment on the west flank of the fire. Based on current conditions this unburnt fuel has the potential to burn on it’s own in a significantly more active way. The ignition will begin this evening and throughout the day tomorrow.

Planned ignitions are a very useful tactic in fire suppression and fire management and are often the safer and more efficient operational tactic. It allows us to bring the fire perimeter down to control lines and creates a more uniform and continuous fire edge which is easier for crews to use direct attack methods on and extinguish hot spots to strengthen control lines and achieve containment. This is also more time efficient and safer for the crews as they have to spend less time chasing hot spots and patches of free burning fire in rough terrain.