Wildfire just south of U.S.-Canada border spreads into Canada, sending smoke into area SE of Hope

ROSS LAKE/HOZEMEEN MOUNTAIN (WASHINGTON STATE) – A wildfire on the U.S. side of the border in Washington state has spread into Canada, sending smoke into a remote area southeast of Hope, and closer to E.C. Manning Provincial Park.

According to the BC Wildfire Service, the fire suspected of being caused by lightning began on the U.S. side and has spread across the border into Canada.

BCWS says U.S. resources are working on the fire, and it currently poses no threat to any nearby structures or critical infrastructure.

Smoke from this 30-hectare fire is visible from E.C. Manning Provincial Park southeast of Hope, as well as the Ross Lake Ecological Reserve.

BCWS says it is maintaining regular contact with its American counterparts.

Border 1, the location of the cross-border fire, as seen in this picture from Front Line Wildfire. (Image Credit: Frontlinewildfire.com)

In a statement released Wednesday, July 22, personnel from the North Cascades National Park say fire activity has increased on Border 1 and Border 2 fires due to elevated fire weather conditions over the last few days. Due to increased fire activity, Border 1 and Border 2 Fires have combined, now known as the Border 2 Fire, and is approximately 300 acres.

The National Park Service says the fire is burning in remote, steep, and densely forested and rocky terrain along the U.S./Canada border, approximately 1.5 miles east of Hozomeen. The fire has crossed the international border into Canada and east onto Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest lands. The lightning-caused Border 2 Fire is being managed under a full-suppression strategy. 

On Tuesday (July 21), firefighters were assisted by numerous air resources utilizing an air attack aircraft, a scooper, a Type-2 helicopter and a Type-3 helicopter aerial delivered water and provided air reconnaissance. Fire activity is expected to be elevated with predicted hot, dry, and windy conditions over the next few days until cooler weather conditions return to the area. A Type-3 Incident Commander arrived on Wednesday and will take command of the Border 2 Fire tomorrow, Thursday, July 23. The fire will operate under a Type-3 Incident Management organization. An additional nine-person crew will arrive today and boat into the remote Hozomeen area on Ross Lake.

NPS says the north end of Ross Lake is closed to recreational use; vessel and foot traffic across the U.S./Canada border is prohibited. Visitors recreating on Ross Lake should keep away from aerial resources utilizing the lake as a water source for firefighting suppression efforts.