Wildfires in British Columbia have prompted more than 70 current evacuation alerts or orders, with many clustered in the province’s central Interior.
The Cariboo Regional District issued an order this weekend covering 38 parcels of land in a 160-square-kilometre area around Anahim Peak, northeast of Bella Coola.
That’s on top of an order issued Friday spanning nearly 3,340 square kilometres in the Lhoosk’uz area, west of Quesnel, and several others in the region.
The Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako, meanwhile, says an evacuation order issued June 30 in response to the Big Creek wildfire has been rescinded and residents of a remote area that includes Omineca Provincial Park may return home — although they remain subject to an alert and must be ready to leave right away.
The Peace River Regional District has also cancelled an evacuation alert covering 60 properties due to the Donnie Creek blaze, the largest in B.C.’s history. The alert had covered a lengthy stretch of Highway 97 and properties in a remote area north of Fort St. John for more than two weeks.
Environment Canada continues to warn of smoky skies and reduced visibility throughout central and eastern B.C. from the Yukon boundary to the Kootenays.
The weather office also posted severe thunderstorm bulletins for a swath of the central Interior on Sunday, saying conditions are favourable for the development of storms that may be capable of producing strong winds, heavy rain and hail.
With more than 370 wildfires burning in B.C., the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre says the province has the greatest number of blazes across the country.
B.C.’s drought bulletin shows widespread drought conditions, and fire danger rating is ranked at high to extreme across much of the province.
The Transportation Ministry has warned drivers not to pull over and stop to take pictures of wildfires, saying it’s “very unsafe” to do so.
A statement posted to Facebook says ministry staff have heard reports of people stopping along highways, especially Highway 16 between Prince Rupert and Prince George, a route where several “wildfires of note” are burning nearby.
There are 20 highly visible, threatening or potentially damaging blazes burning in B.C., many of which are clustered in the Bulkley-Nechako and Cariboo regions.
Comments