7 human-caused wildfires reported in central B.C. in 1 afternoon

Wildfire crews are battling an out-of-control wildfire in central British Columbia — one of seven human-caused blazes reported in the Cariboo region on Saturday afternoon.

The Burgess Creek fire is burning over an area of 0.5 square kilometres — about 50 kilometres south of Quesnel, a city about 415 kilometres northeast of Vancouver.

The fire is sending a thick plume of smoke into the air that is visible from Quesnel, Williams Lake and Highway 97C, according to B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) information officer Madison Dahl.

However, Dahl said Saturday afternoon that no homes or buildings are threatened at this time.

“There’s over 25 personnel on the ground. We have heavy equipment that will be working throughout the night,” Dahl told CBC News, noting there are also helicopters and planes on site.