Fire officials are saying they dodged a bullet this weekend with the wind not turning out to be as bad as anticipated.
However, they are saying they’re not out of the woods yet. Another cold front is expected to bring more strong wind and possibly lightning to B.C.’s interior by Wednesday.
The Plateau Fire
Over the weekend, a number of small fires have merged into the biggest fire currently burning in B.C.
The blaze is now being called the Plateau Fire and is being managed by two wildfire teams because of its size. Together the fires, which are burning north of Williams Lake by Nazko Provincial Park, have scorched 467,000 hectares.
READ MORE: B.C. wildfires map 2017: Current location of wildfires around the province
“This is a massive area we are talking about and not burning in a neat tidy box by any stretch,” BC Chief Fire Information Officer said.
“It’s got fingers and flanks and different aspects across the area.”
There are more than 500 firefighters, 24 helicopters and 115 pieces of heavy equipment fighting the fires.
More than 1,000 fires have been sparked since April 1 with 137 fires still burning across the province, 3,800 people on evacuation order and almost 10,000 are on alerts.
Some residents return home
Hundreds of people were allowed to return to Loon Lake, B.C., more than a month after flames forced them from their homes and destroyed dozens of buildings in the community.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District lifted an evacuation order for 309 properties in the area, but an alert remains in place, warning residents that they may need to leave again on a moment’s notice.
WATCH: Global News coverage of the wildfire near Loon Lake
The evacuation order was issued in mid-July when a fire threatened the community, located about 130 kilometres northwest of Kamloops in B.C.’s Interior.
Megan Gregory with the regional district says about 40 structures were destroyed by the flames, including vacation properties and permanent homes.
~ with files from Canadian Press
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