WATCH: Jordan Armstrong reports on a weekend of fires burning all over British Columbia
There were at least 18 fires that started in British Columbia on Monday. Thirty-fix fires started Saturday, 21 started Sunday, and 32 on Friday. There are 185 active wildfires as of Monday.
A haze blankets the majority of people in B.C., as winds bring smoke from fires in Pemberton to people in Vancouver and Victoria. The Metro Vancouver Air Quality Health Index went to 10+, or “Very High Risk” on Sunday night.
READ MORE: Air quality advisory issued for Metro Vancouver and Sunshine Coast
And undoubtedly, there will be more fires to come in the days and weeks ahead.
“Why we’ve seen this severe situation so early has been the weather conditions,” says Kevin Skrepnek, Provincial Fire Information Officer, who added that lightning has also played a big part in many of the fires.
Here’s a brief rundown of our fire coverage from today:
PORT ALBERNI: Fire burns next to Sproat Lake; tactical evacuation of cabins underway
PORT ALBERNI: As fires increase, so do calls to bring back Martin Mars water bombers
PEMBERTON: Multiple fires in Pemberton area explode in growth overnight
KOOTENAYS: Fires in Kootenays advance on homes, then retreat – but alerts still in place
PORT HARDY: Evacuation order in Port Hardy lifted
KELOWNA: Evacuation Order in Huckleberry fire completely lifted
SUNSHINE COAST: Evacuation alert issued due to forest fire burning near Sechelt
BURNABY: Crews battle fire on Burnaby Mountain
PHOTOS: Fires create haze blanketing B.C. in sea of yellow and orange
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The B.C. Wildfire Centre also has a list of all active fires for the entire province.
In Metro Vancouver, there was one new major fire on Burnaby Mountain Sunday – and it was the first full weekend of enhanced water restrictions in the region, and officials warned that they would likely continue for some time.
“We’re in areas where we’ve never been before,” says Darrell Mussatto, Mayor of North Vancouver and Chair of Metro Vancouver’s Utilities Committee.
“We’ve never had a dry May and June like we’ve just had…we’re at record low inflows into our reservoirs.”
The B.C. Wildfire Service also warned that smoke from two lightning-caused wildfires could drift into the communities of Bella Coola, Houston, Burns Lake, Southside and Francois Lake.
The Kapella River fire had burned about 600 to 1,000 hectares about 77 kilometres northwest of Bella Coola, while the Europa Lake fire had burned about 10 hectares about 86 kilometres southeast of Kitimat.
— With files from The Canadian Press and Jon Azpiri
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