Crews battle wildfires in a number of B.C. regions got a partial reprieve on Sunday, amid cooler weather and some precipitation.
More than 3,600 firefighters and personnel remained deployed across the province, tackling 283 fires.
As of Sunday morning, 71 evacuation orders remained in effect, covering more than 6,900 properties.
While the weather has given crews the chance for a much-needed foothold on several major fires, the BC wildfire Service cautioned that hotter, drier weather was expected to return Monday and persist for up to 10 days.
The massive White Rock Lake fire, which has destroyed a significant but as of yet unconfirmed number of properties, remained firefighters’ top priority on Sunday.
The BC Wildfire Service says overnight showers helped stall that aggressive fire’s growth.
The cities of Vernon and Armstrong have rescinded evacuation alerts related to the fire but cautioned residents that the region remained at high risk.
Residents of a large swath of land on both sides of Highway 97 between Highway 1 and Okanagan Lake, along with a stretch of the lake’s western shore, remained under evacuation orders.
Another 700 people remained on an evacuation alert in communities along the banks of Okanagan Lake.
Another area of concern Sunday was the 30,606-hectare Tremont Creek wildfire, burning just south of Ashcroft.
The wildfire service said it remained “extremely active” on its east and northeast flanks, in Tunkwa Provincial Park, where it was burning on the top and north slope of Mt. Savona.
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Evacuation orders remain in place for an area just south of the community of Savona — which is about five kilometres from the fire — and residents were being warned to monitor its progress.
Near Osoyoos, the nearly 17,000-hectare Nk’Mip Creek wildfire continues to rage out of control. The BC Wildfire Service says cooler weather has allowed crews to get closer to the fire itself.
It says it has also recommended that the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen downgrade evacuation orders near the fire’s northern areas to evacuation alerts.
Nearly 100 Mexican firefighters are assisting with the blaze, and have been given three days off to recuperate.
Also in the Okanagan, the Thomas Creek fire remained active Sunday, particularly to the northwest near Derenzy Lake and the northeast near Allendale Lake.
Crews in the area were focused Sunday on clearing guards around the fire’s perimeter, and were taking advantage of cooler, wetter weather.
Some alerts downgraded, rescinded
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Elsewhere in the province, there were positive developments associated with some of July’s most troubling fires.
After several days with no significant growth reported on the mammoth 77,000-hectare Sparks Lake wildfire northwest of Kamloops, some residents will be able to return home.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District downgraded evacuation orders issued June 29, 30 and July 4 for 60 properties in the Deadman Valley area to evacuation alerts. Fifteen properties remained under an evacuation order in that area.
The TNRD also downgraded evacuation orders for residents of the Gustafsen and Neilson Lake areas issued last month due to the nearly 63,000-hectare Flat Lake fire.
Residents of those areas can return home but should still be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.
The Cariboo Regional District also lifted several evacuation alerts related to the fire.
Meanwhile, in Central Kootenay, residents of about 170 properties along Lower Arrow Lake between Fuquier and Applegrove were given the green light to head home due to progress on the Octopus Creek wildfire.
That fire saw up to 30 millimetres of precipitation in some areas overnight, the BC Wildfire Service said and lower temperatures and high humidity has hampered growth of the 19,000-hectare fire.
Some evacuation alerts were also rescinded for properties impacted by the 5,600-hectare July Mountain Wildfire south of Merritt, which jumped the Coquihalla Highway on Thursday night.
The Thompson Nicola Regional District said several properties in Electoral Area “N” are now in the clear, but 46 remained on alert.
Since April, 1,432 wildfires have scorched an estimated 637,000 hectares across the province.
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