Area restriction enacted to keep people away from Ross Moore Lake wildfire
KAMLOOPS — The B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) is putting an area restriction in place around the Ross Moore Lake wildfire south of Kamloops.
Thursday afternoon (Aug. 17), BCWS issued a news release saying all people should stay out of the designated area unless they are:
- Travelling as a person acting in an official capacity;
- Travelling for the purpose of supporting wildfire suppression activities;
- Travelling to or from his or her principal residence, that is not under an evacuation order;
- Travelling to or from his or her private or leased property for the purposes of accessing his or her secondary residence or recreational property, that is not under an evacuation order;
- Using a highway as defined in the Highway Act; or
- Engaging and/or participating in agricultural activities pertaining to livestock or agriculture management on Crown Range, Crown Grazing Lease, private or leased property.
The area is highlighted in the map below:
Image Credit: BCWS“This area restriction reflects the need to protect public and BCWS personnel safety in areas where fire suppression activities are taking place,” stated the release.
BCWS says the order will remain in place until August 31, or until it is otherwise rescinded.
The full text of the news release is copied below:
KAMLOOPS – The BC Wildfire Service has implemented an Area Restriction Order within the vicinity of the Rossmore Lake wildfire (K22024), located approximately 10 kilometers south of Kamloops. This Order takes effect at 12:00 (noon) Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) on August 17, 2023 and remains in force until the earlier of 12:00 (noon) PDT on August 31, 2023 or until the Order is rescinded.
This area restriction reflects the need to protect public and BCWS personnel safety in areas where fire suppression activities are taking place.
Under this Order and section 11(2) of the Wildfire Act, a person must not remain in or enter the restricted area unless the person:
- Travelling as a person acting in an official capacity;
- Travelling for the purpose of supporting wildfire suppression activities;
- Travelling to or from his or her principal residence, that is not under an evacuation order;
- Travelling to or from his or her private or leased property for the purposes of accessing his or her secondary residence or recreational property, that is not under an evacuation order;
- Using a highway as defined in the Highway Act; or
- Engaging and/or participating in agricultural activities pertaining to livestock or agriculture management on Crown Range, Crown Grazing Lease, private or leased property.
This Order applies to Crown land within the geographic boundaries described below and as outlined in the heavy black dashed and shaded grey line on the attached map here.
East Boundary: Commencing at Coordinate 1 (50° 27.947′, -120° 16.305′) at a point on Hwy 5A at the Trapp Lake Recreation Area, head south following Hwy 5A to the intersection of Hwy 5A and Anderson Road at Coordinate 2 (50° 19.298′, -120° 24.030′).
South Boundary: Commencing at Coordinate 2, follow Anderson Road west to the intersection of Anderson Road and the transmission line (Kelly Lake Sub, Nicola Sub) at Coordinate 3 (50° 19.039′, -120° 26.613′). Then continue along the transmission line northwest until it intersects with Hwy 5 (Coordinate 4: 50° 24.470′, -120° 37.363′).
West Boundary: Commencing at Coordinate 4, follow Hwy 5 to the intersection with Meadow Creek Road Offramp (Coordinate 5: 50° 29.155′, -120° 32.795′), then head southeast approximately 300 metres at a bearing of 273° to the most north-westerly corner of Walloper Lake Park boundary at Coordinate 6 (50° 28.993′, -120° 32.801′). Continue to follow the park boundary to where it intersects with Osprey Road west at (Coordinate 7: 50° 29.026′, -120° 31.600′).
North Boundary: Commencing at Coordinate 7, head southeast at a bearing of 329 ° for 1841 metres to the northwest corner of PID 013255355 (Coordinate 8: 50° 28.452′, -120° 30.331′). Follow the cadastral boundaries of PID 013255355 and PID 013256564 to the northeast corner of PID 013255355 at Coordinate 9 (50° 28.424′, -120° 28.968′). From Coordinate 9, proceed east at a bearing of 358 ° for approximately 1669 metres to the most southeast corner of Lac Le Jeune Provincial Park boundary at Coordinate 10(50° 28.324′, -120° 27.565′). Follow Lac Le Jeune Provincial Park boundary north to the intersection with Ross Moore Lake FSR (Coordinate 11: 50° 29.289′, -120° 27.554′). Continue north at a bearing of 85° for approximately 3373 metres to the southeast corner of McConnell Lake Provincial Park (Coordinate 12: 50° 31.084′, -120° 27.089′). Proceed north along the McConnell Lake Provincial Park boundary to the intersection with Lac Le Juene Road (Coordinate 13: 50° 31.696′, -120° 27.327′), then follow Lac Le Juene Road in a northerly direction where it intersects with Goose Lake Road (Coordinate 14: 50° 33.557′, -120° 26.094′). Continue along Goose Lake Road to where it intersects the TransMountain pipeline right of way at Coordinate 15 (50° 34.459′, -120° 23.785′), then proceed at a bearing of 3.44.3 ° for 3417 metres to the intersection of Edith Lake Road and Anderson Creek (Coordinate 16: 50° 33.822′, -120° 21.069′). From Coordinate 16, follow Anderson Creek to where it intersects with Long Lake Road (Coordinate 17: 50° 34.537′, -120° 19.508′), then continue along Long Lake Road/Weir Road south to Coordinate 18 (50° 27.973′, -120° 19.063′) at the intersection of Weir Road and Ashley Road. From Coordinate 18, head east approximately 3262 metres at a bearing of 3.78° back to Coordinate 1.
The BC Wildfire Service would like to remind the public that while access to private residences are permitted, the public must remain out of active fire areas. Interference in these areas has a direct impact on operations and poses a safety risk to both the individual and to BC Wildfire Service personnel.
Failure to comply with Section 11 restricted area requirements may result in a violation ticket of $1,150.
Road closures and area restrictions are subject to change depending on fire activity. For the most current information please visit the bans and restrictions section of the BC Wildfire website for the Kamloops Fire Centre.
