TROZZO CREEK WILDFIRE OVER 5000 HECTARES

Due to tremendous luck in weather conditions and outstanding efforts from BCWS the fire has stabilized for now after its big run towards lemon creek. It has been an extremely intense time for our community with many homes under evacuation alert and a large number of homes evacuated in the middle of the night.

Below is the latest report from BCWS:

"Trozzo Creek (N51705) Last updated: Tuesday, August 3, 2021 at 7:13 AM Size: 5,202.0 hectares

Status: Active Fire activity has remained largely stable. Humid weather on Sunday assisted crews in making good progress in containment along the fire's western flank.

Cloud cover has increased humidity and cooled temperatures across the Southeast Fire Centre. Temperatures Monday are expected to range from the mid-20s to mid-30s, with light winds and a low risk of thunderstorms and wind gusts in some areas in the afternoon. Tuesday is expected to be warmer with humidity dropping and the possibility of thunderstorms and gusting winds in the afternoon.

Ongoing challenges include: lack of access to upper Winlaw Creek; lack of water resources at high elevations and difficulties delivering by truck due to rough roads; steep, rocky and complex terrain; a high volume of dead and downed trees; dense smoke that limits visibility and the ability for fixed-wing aircraft to access the fire.

Resources • 151 firefighters • 7 helicopters • 27 heavy equipment

Objectives General objectives the same: contain the western flank from Lemon Creek to Winlaw Creek, increase containment depth in the Trozzo Creek drainage, establish contingency guards north and south of the fire and plan containment guards for the south and east flanks to implement once the western flank is contained.

On Monday, crews continue fire suppression along the Lemon Creek and Elliot Anderson Forest Service Roads. Tactics include using small hand ignitions, as conditions permit, to reduce available fuel, along with hose lays and sprinkler lines. Crews have successfully suppressed the fire up to five metres deep from 10-km on the Trozzo FSR north to 3-km on the Elliot Anderson FSR. There is still, however, the possibility of the fire spotting across the containment line. Firefighters continue to mop up to 100 feet deep along the contained edge in the Trozzo Creek drainage and monitor fire growth toward the east (Baldface Creek) and south (Sproule Creek). Firefighters will begin implementation of containment lines into upper Winlaw Creek on Monday.

Structure protection specialists are assessing properties in Winlaw and Slocan. This is a proactive measure; it is not due to any imminent threat.

Heavy equipment is completing construction of contingency guards on the Ponderosa FSR to Dayton FSR road series; completing an indirect guard along the Monument FSR to prevent growth to the east; improving the Ottawa and Pedro FSRs as contingency lines, and establishing an indirect guard from Pedro and Sproule FSR.

Helicopters continue to support mop up activities, aerial monitoring and slowing fire growth along Lemon Creek.

As of 18:00 on August 1, the fire had not crossed the Lemon Creek FSR"

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