Kookipi Creek WildFire 2023 

 The territory sustained quite a bit of damage from the recent Kookipi Creek wildfire. We recommend not visiting the burned sections of forest at this time. It is still not safe.

There are still many actively burning hot spots, where the fire is burning underground. There are also voids left in the soil from burnt out root systems that you can fall in and twist an ankle, and the potential for falling dead trees also poses a risk.

              Areas that burned most hotly were around our Pegleg Reserve, as well as both sides of Siwash Creek Watershed.

The bad news is that we lost many of our big old-growth trees, as well as a number of culturally-modified Douglas-fir.

The good news, however, is that our pictograph sites and bark-stripped cedar on the east side of the Fraser are safe.

Fortunately, we lost none of our homes or structures. We are very luckily and greatful that our Chief and a number community members stayed behind during the evacuation to cut a fire break and keep our homes safe!

Below are some photos of the fire damage our land has sustained. 

Looking southwest from Pegleg

Pegleg Reserve

Watering hole at Pegleg Reserve. This is a place where deer and elk come to drink. Since this photo was taken, we have seen signs of these animals returning to this area.

Old road that the Hance family built heading up Kanaka Mountain from Pegleg

Bark-stripped cedar tree on Kanaka Mountain that escaped the fire

Bark-stripped cedar on Kanaka Mountain, note the tool marks

Jackass Mountain, above Falls Creek

 South ridge above Siwash Creek

For more infomation on the Kookipi wildfire please contact: lands@kanakabarband.ca

Updated: Oct. 5, 2023