B.C. wildfires drop to 225 as some rain moves in but caution still urged

The number of wildfires burning in British Columbia had dropped to 225 as much of the province experiences cooler weather with some rain on Tuesday.

Emergency Management BC says there were 21 evacuation orders covering 3,754 properties as of Monday evening, down from 3,927 properties the day before.

Residents of another 6,073 properties were told to be ready to leave on short notice.

The emergency operations centre for the central Okanagan says the BC Wildfire Service has completed planned ignitions around the destructive White Rock Lake fire that forced the evacuation of 1,316 properties west of Okanagan Lake.

The centre says the ignitions resulted in control lines being established in several key areas at the fire’s northeast flank, reducing its risk of growth. The wildfire service says in an online post that containment of the White Rock Lake fire might be achieved in the next seven to 10 days “versus upwards of six weeks if the fire was left to naturally reach containment lines.”

Significant work took place over the last two weeks to clear fuel from the ground in preparation for the planned ignition, the service adds.

0:48 White Rock Lake wildfire: Timelapse of massive planned burn

The emergency centre says the fire service will provide recommendations as soon as possible on when local governments may lift evacuation orders or alerts. It’s anticipated that residents will be provided with a guide for returning home and invited to an information session by the middle of this week, it says.

Elsewhere, the fire service says the two-square-kilometre Skaha Creek fire near Penticton was not threatening any structures and cooler weather with a chance of showers was expected to help crews make progress containing it on Tuesday.

The City of Penticton has activated its emergency operations centre to support the response to the fire, while the Penticton Indian Band issued an evacuation alert for 240 properties as a precaution.

The B.C. government reports that 1,560 wildfires have scorched close to 8,660 square kilometres of land since the fire season began on April 1.

Environment Canada has issued air quality statements stretching from the south Thompson to west Kootenay regions in B.C.’s Interior due to wildfire smoke.

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