Residents return home as fire ‘held’

By Julia Archelene Magsombo Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The St. Mary’s River wildfire that ignited on July 17 is now classified as being “held,” with ?Aq’am residents finally returning home. “Being held is good news when opposed to an out-of-control fire  . . . it’s a fire that’s received sufficient suppression action, and it is not likely to spread further under forecast conditions,” said Kirk Verner, an information officer with the BC Wildfire Service. Located on the traditional territory of the Ktunaxa First Nation, the suspected cause was downed power lines, but the investigation is ongoing. A recent update from the BC Wildfire Service showed that the fire is approximately 4,640 hectares. Fire crews expect the size to increase in the coming days, but it’s not something to worry about….

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