The Elephant Hill fire is seeing increased fire activity due to winds, says Fire Information Officer Noelle Kekula.

鈥淟ast I heard, they said it was still staying within the control lines,鈥� she says.

鈥淐rews are flying it, crews are actioning it,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e are using air support, ground support, heavy equipment support.鈥�

She says people can expect to see columns of smoke due to the winds, which are expected to shift from prevailing southerlies to north and northwesterly winds later today, according to a release by the Cariboo Fire Centre.

The release, issued earlier today (Aug. 18), says that winds are expected to cause existing fires to grow significantly and may cause new fires to burn aggressively and spread quickly.

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According to Kekula, during the last couple of days, crews have been preparing for the event by actioning and creating guards on the northern tip of the fire.

鈥淣one of this was ever taken lightly.鈥�

Kekula says that that they are doing their best to save as many properties as possible.

鈥淲e鈥檝e got structural protection units out there and we are doing our best to prioritize life and property,鈥� she says.

鈥淭his is a huge fire,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e are trying our best to get to every place we can get to.鈥�

She says one of their goals is to keep the fire from moving.

鈥淚 get that everyone is scared, and tired of that fire, and I get that and I hear that, but Mother Nature wants to be windy this weekend,鈥� she says.