The number of active wildfires in British Columbia has jumped by more than a few dozen, raising the amount to more than 150 across the province.
The BC Wildfire Service said forest fuels are more susceptible to fire starts after seven consecutive days of extreme heat, with new blazes prompting two new evacuation orders in the past few days.
The latest spans a portion of the District of Wells, about 80 kilometres east of Quesnel in the province’s central Interior, where the BC Wildfire Service map shows a cluster of more than two dozen new fires in the area.
The district issued the order at 10 p.m. Wednesday, saying the 70-hectare Cornish Mountain wildfire is a threat to life and safety, and residents must leave right away.
The order covers the Eight- and Nine-Mile Lake Areas, Cornish Lake, and Mine Sites areas, while an evacuation alert is in effect for the rest of the district.
In northeastern B.C., the Fort Nelson First Nation issued an evacuation order Tuesday for its Kahntah reserve, telling residents they had to leave by boat due to the threat of an out-of-control blaze discovered the day before.
As of 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, there are 153 active wildfires in B.C., up from fewer than 100 at the start of the week, with two considered fires of note.
B.C. Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Bowinn Ma said the province has a full contingent of firefighters ready to go.
“We currently have access to our full compliment of our firefighting personnel of more than 2,000 people, with 500 deployed in the ground,” she said.
“And we are proactively working to secure out of province resources.”
Ma said anyone that lives in a place where wildfire could happen, they need to stay prepared.
“My message to people and communities across the province is to be prepared. Be prepared but know that you don’t have to go it alone,” Ma said.
“The brave men and women of the B.C. Wildfire Service put everything on the line to fight fires.”
“Wildfires of Note” means they are either highly visible or pose a threat to safety or infrastructure.
The BC Wildfire Service says smoke from the two-square-kilometre Little Oliver Creek fire will be visible from Highway 16 and the Terrace, B.C. area.
The 3.5-square-kilometre Hook Creek fire is meanwhile burning out of control to the north, near a stretch of the Alaska Highway along the boundary with Yukon.
While temperatures have cooled to more seasonal levels along B.C.’s coast, Environment Canada is maintaining heat warnings for much of the southern Interior and southeast corner of the province.
A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for the Fort Nelson area which has been the epicentre for drought and fire activity so far this year.
A situation report posted by the BC Wildfire Service said a cold front in northern B.C. is expected to generate strong winds, thunderstorms and the potential for dry lightning in the region plagued by drought.
The bulletin says the service is anticipating new fire starts in the region.
The service says the system won’t be as strong in southern parts of B.C., but the southern and central Interior may experience increased winds and isolated dry lightning.
The service adds that its personnel are constantly monitoring and assessing conditions, and resources are deployed to areas of highest risk.
Dozens of heat records have fallen in the past few days across the province.
The wildfire service has announced a provincewide campfire ban is set to take effect Friday at noon, with the exception of the Haida Gwaii forest district.