A wildfire burning southwest of Williams Lake Sunday evening is threatening to destroy a communications tower which provides landline telephone and cell phone service, as well as the internet connection between Riske Creek and Bella Coola.
"The tower is at Riske Creek (46 kilometes southwest of Williams Lake) and it provides critical communications for a large area from Riske Creek to Bella Coola," said Kate Mukasa, a communications officer for Emergency Management BC.
"If the tower is compromised, BC Hydro and Telus crews will be deployed to repair it as soon as it is safe to do so. Emergency Management BC is in close contact with the regional districts and First Nations communities and we have the ability to support alternate communications methods if the tower is compromised."
The Riske Creek fire in Chilcotin region started July 7, about 50 kilometes southwest of Williams Lake. Fanned by strong winds Saturday which caused it to spread on its eastern and southern flanks and covers 8,700 hectares, among the 161 fires now burning in the province.
