News and opinion about wildland fire
Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Uncategorized2 Comments on A brief look at the Little Bobtail Lake Fire 
We don’t usually put too much confidence in the containment percentages government personnel assign to wildfires, since sometimes it is extremely subjective and not always based on reality, but as the Little Bobtail Fire southwest of Prince George, British Columbia continues to grow, the containment percentage decreased today from 20 percent to 15 percent. The blaze has now blackened 25,000 hectares, or 62,000 acres.
Our main site for the Little Bobtail Lake Fire is HERE, with much more detail.
(UPDATED at 1:40 p.m. MDT, May 19, 2015)
We don’t usually put too much confidence in the containment percentages government personnel assign to wildfires, since sometimes it is extremely subjective and not always based on reality, but as the Little Bobtail Lake Fire southwest of Prince George, British Columbia continues to grow, the containment percentage decreased today from 20 percent to 15 percent. The blaze has now blackened 25,000 hectares, or 62,000 acres.
Winds Tuesday afternoon could include gusts up to 40 km per hour. After a small amount of rain on portions of the fire on Monday, a drying trend is in the forecast.
Resources working the fire include 315 firefighters, 12 helicopters, 32 heavy equipment, and 8 air tankers.
(UPDATED at 2:10 p.m. MDT, May 17, 2015)
Due to strong winds with gusts of up to 35 km/hr, fire activity increased on the Little Bobtail Lake wildfire on Saturday. Growth was experienced along the northwest, southwest, and southeast flanks. Aircraft are supporting ground crews in trying to gain control of this most recent activity. The fire is moving away from the Cluculz Lake and HWY 16 area.
The fire has burned an estimated 24,000 hectares (59,000 acres). Satellite photos showed a very large plume of smoke being transported to the southwest.
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(UPDATED at 9:10 p.m. MDT, May 15, 2015)
The Little Bobtail Lake Fire southwest of Prince George, B.C. has now burned 17,000 hectares (42,000 acres). Yesterday it was mapped at 13,000 hectares (32,000 acres). There are 190 personnel now, and 60 more will be added today.
There are also 8 helicopters, 8 air tankers, and 22 pieces of heavy equipment working the fire. Some of the helicopters are bucketing and others are serving as administrative air support. There is a total of six Air Tractor 802 scooping air tankers as well as two Electra airtankers working to cool down fire activity on several flanks of the fire.
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(UPDATED at 8:40 p.m. MDT, May 14, 2015)
The Wildfire Management Branch reported at 1 p.m. today that the Little Bobtail Lake Fire 25 miles southwest of Prince George is growing rapidly and has burned 13,000 hectares (32,000 acres). Yesterday it was mapped at 8,000 hectares (19,700 acres) and had tripled in size in the previous two days.
Not much additional information is available, except for the map below, and the list of firefighting resources working the fire: 170 firefighters, 8 helicopters, 10 heavy equipment, and 4 airtankers.
