Wildfire Complex in British Columbia growing quickly

Brunswick Complex

The Brunswick Creek wildfire started on July 2 near Boston Bar, BC, and quickly took off in steep terrain under hot, dry conditions. Strong winds led to additional nearby fires, including the Ainslie Creek fire which has grown even more.  Together, the Brunswick Complex fires along the Fraser Canyon have burned over 30,000 acres, prompting many evacuations and emergency response in the area.  

Whatcom county was moderately impacted early in the week, and some smoke was possible in Northeast Washington today, but there probably won't be noticeable impacts this weekend.  We expect the fires to continue burning, so Northern Washington will see intermittent smoke impacts throughout the summer.  Wind flow in the near term will help keep most of the smoke in Canada, but parts of Northern Washington will eventually see Canadian smoke.

Aqua / MODIS Imagery for July 8 - Courtesy of NASA - Worldview

New Wildfires in Oregon

Lightning on July 7 ignited new fires in Eastern Oregon.  Currently smoke plumes can be seen in satellite imagery from the Salmon and Greenhorn fires as well as the Anthony Fire.  While we don't expect any impacts in Washington yet, it's possible these fires could grow and eventually impact Southeastern Washington later this summer.

Fire Weather Watch in Central Washington (Saturday)

The National Weather Service in Spokane has issued a Fire Weather Watch on Saturday due to expected dry windy conditions in Central Washington (e.g. Colville Reservation, Okanogan Valley, and Waterville Plateau).  Rapid fire spread is likely so residents should avoid activity that could spark new wildfires. 

Fuels Drying Out

Fire risk will be moderate in the near-term but with higher danger in windy areas. Very dry vegetation means any new or existing fires could spread quickly and be hard to control. Fire potential is expected to rise steadily starting next week, and there is also the potential for more thunderstorms and lightning ignitions.