Officials are bracing for a spike in wildfires as British Columbia continues to bake under its first major heat wave of the season.
Heat warnings are in place for about one-third of the province including most of southern B.C., with peak temperatures forecast for the coast on Tuesday and the interior on Wednesday.
Environment Canada reported 27 new temperature records set on Monday, including a blistering 42.2 C in Lytton, breaking a 1952 record.
But the BC Wildfire Service is warning that a cold front is expected to sweep across tinder-dry northern B.C. on Wednesday, bringing strong winds, thunderstorms and dry lightning.
“New wildfire starts are anticipated, particularly in northern regions. We are prepared to respond to new wildfires and increased wildfire activity,” the service warned.
“Southern portions of B.C. will be less impacted by the cold front across northern regions this week, although the Southern and Central Interior may experience increased winds and isolated dry lightning.”
A weather alert for strong winds and thunderstorms has also been issued for the Kelowna area.
By Tuesday, the vast majority of British Columbia was listed with a fire danger rating of “High” or above, with the northeast and pockets of the southern interior listed as “Extreme.”
The BC Wildfire Service has announced campfire bans for the Kamloops, Coastal, Prince George and Southeast Fire Centres, effective at noon on Friday.
“We did have quite a wet spring, but our cumulative precipitation amounts in the Kamloops Fire Centre were drier in the valley bottoms through May and June and they were below the 20-year average,” BC Wildfire Service Fire Information Officer Aydan Corey said.
“With the persistent drought conditions we’ve had in the last few years it was not quite enough.”
Corey said the wildfire service has crews on standby in anticipation of new fire starts.
As of Friday, there were 96 active wildfires in the province, the majority of them in the Cariboo and B.C.’s northeast.