In the past 24 hours, Strong said wildfires have continued to burn in the Kamloops, Prince George, and Cariboo areas, with the largest fire located 15 kilometers north of Kamloops Lake.

She said there are more than 170 active fires in British Columbia, 13 of which are under close surveillance because they may pose a threat to public safety. In addition, there were fires near Lillooet, Cache Creek, 100 Mile House, Prince George and other smaller communities.

Strong said that the hot and dry weather in BC is earlier than normal in history. “The huge heat wave at the end of the month dried out the fuel about a month ago. [than usual].”

Federal Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair said in two tweets on Sunday that the Canadian Armed Forces will provide air support to areas affected by wildfires by July 19.

“Significant growth” overnight

Although the rain helped curb three major wildfires, Strong said lightning was the suspicious cause of three new wildfires overnight.

At the same time, despite the efforts of firefighters near Kamloops, Strong said the fire in Sparks Lake continues to spread.

“The Sparks Lake fire is our largest fire at the moment, covering an estimated area of ??36,000 hectares… the staff are working on that fire 24 hours a day,” she said.

According to a written statement from the Thompson Nicola Region (TNRD), the fire also triggered Sunday evacuation orders for two properties located near Sparks Lake and an evacuation alert for 119 properties in the Sabiston Lake area.

In Litton, Strong said that Sunday firefighters will continue to focus on the northeast and northwest sides of the fire. By Saturday night, they had controlled the fire on the west side of the Fraser River.

Watch | As wildfires continue to burn in British Columbia, 2 people are confirmed dead in Lytton:

The British Columbia Coroner Service has confirmed that earlier this week, a rapidly spreading wildfire destroyed most of the village of Lytton in British Columbia, killing two people. Firefighters are trying to control more than 170 active wildfires across the province. 7:56

Strong said there were four notable wildfires in the Cariboo area; the two most worrying fires occurred north of Big Stick Lake and Churn Creek.

The Big Stick Lake fire is estimated to have an area of ??70 hectares, and nearby residents are required to be ready to leave at any time. According to the British Columbia Wildfire Bureau, staff continued to set up fuel-free guards around the fire on Sunday.

Two properties near the Churn Creek fire also issued evacuation alerts. The estimated area is 700 hectares, and Strong said that staff will control the burning on Sunday to help prevent further spread.

Anyone who receives an evacuation order must leave the area immediately.

Evacuation centers have been set up at the following locations to help anyone evacuating from communities threatened by wildfires:

• Castlegar: Castlegar Community Complex, 2102 6th Ave.
• Chilliwack: Chilliwack High School, 46363 Yale Road.
• Kelowna: Salvation Army, 1480 Sutherland Avenue.
• Merritt: Merritt Civic Center, 1950 Mamette Ave.

Encourage evacuees to Emergency Support Service Online, regardless of whether they receive services in an evacuation center. Those who cannot access the online registration can call the emergency support service registration number 1-800-585-9559.

Those looking for a loved one can call the Canadian Red Cross at 1-800-863-6582 for family reunification services.