Numerous new fire starts in the Kamloops Fire Centre on Thursday, and a change in the weather, have prompted the BC Wildfire Service to prioritize fires in this provincial zone.
The statement was issued on social media at 8 p.m.
“The Kamloops Fire Centre is currently experiencing increased BC wildfire activity,” the BC Wildfire Service said. “Temperatures are rising and the relative humidity is decreasing as a result of the smoke starting to lift, which is causing a marked increase in wildfire intensity.”
“We are prioritizing these fires with resources, with our main priority being the safety of the men and women on the fire line, property and public safety,” the statement continued. “We will continue focusing our best efforts on communicating with all those that are affected by these wildfires.”
There are currently eight ‘wildfires of note’ within the Kamloops Fire Centre, but dozens more fires that are new within the last week and growing.
Comparatively, there are 18 ‘wildfires of note’ burning in the Southeast Fire Centre and dozens more recent fire starts in the Selkirk and Columbia mountain ranges that are burning out of control, some prompting evacuation alerts and orders.
The largest fires burning in BC are burning west of Prince George and Quesnel and have prompted numerous evacuation orders in the region.
Thick smoke began blanketing the Okanagan on Thursday afternoon, obscuring any sight of specific fires.
The majority of fires burning in the Kamloops Fire Centre are in the Monashee Mountain range to the east and in the Similkameen Valley to the south.
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