Massive Elaho and Boulder Creek fires

[Frisk]

Elaho fire: 20,000.0 hectares

Boulder Creek fire: 12,000.0 hectares

I believe these are the largest fires ever recorded in the costal fire center.

http://bcwildfire.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/OneFire.asp?ID=533

http://bcwildfire.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/OneFire.asp?ID=538

[dieseluphammerdown]

Cause: Lightning Lightning Caused
The Wildfire Management Branch has determined that the Elaho wildfire was caused by lightning, not people, after a thorough investigtion by a specialized fire cause investigator.

Cause: Lightning Lightning Caused

[Frisk]

Nahatlatch fire southwest of Lytton is at 5,000 hectares.

[Frisk]

Boulder Creek picture from twitter.

[Drip_Torch]

I believe these are the largest fires ever recorded in the costal fire center.

That may be true, cause we didn't have a coastal fire center, per se, back in 1938.

The Bloedel Fire, aka the Sayward Fire (Campbell River) started in a cold deck 77 years ago today (July 5) and grew to close to 30,000 ha in 30 days. It was also the birth place of modern silviculture; by now a lot of it has been logged and planted again.

Here's one for the history lovers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5Y1xJFisdg

[Liquidnails]

Lots of smoke and ash in the lower mainland from these two fires. Many people down here have no idea why everything is so hazy; forest fires are a foreign concept.

[Frisk]

NASA picture of the smoke, mainly from the Elaho fire.

[Drip_Torch]

I see the estimated areas have gone down considerably.

So, this is going to be one of those silly instances where I openly suggest the significant fire is the smaller of the two. Matter of fact, I'd say the Boulder Creek Fire has the potential to go down in the history books... course that'll only be as one of the precursor events to something much larger.

Unless I'm entirely mistaken, it couldn't be in worse spot.

Love that landscape and know the area well, so dynamic... fluid, almost. Putting the fire out is only going to be the start, the real project is going to be the rehab.