Watching Creek wildfire near Kamloops now ‘being held’

The B.C. Wildfire Service is holding the wildfire burning north of Kamloops.

The Watching Creek wildfire reached 270 hectares last week and crews have stopped the lightning-caused blaze from growing any further since then.

Four helicopters have been bucketing the blaze as needed and two pieces of heavy equipment are helping 78 firefighters create a perimeter around it.

As of yesterday, Aug. 8, crews on the ground were moving inward mopping up hot spots on all sides of the wildfire, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service.

Today, Aug. 9, is expected to be a warm, with a potential for increased winds tomorrow, but the wildfire isn't expected to expand passed its boundaries, according to fire information officer Rosalyn Johnson.

The wildfire service now deems the wildfire as "being held," less than three weeks after it was discovered on July 29, 15 kilometres northwest of Kamloops.

Although it's burning near last year's massive Sparks Lake wildfire, it's affecting forests that weren't burned in 2021, Johnson said.

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