In the forecast for parts of British Columbia, workers fighting relentless wildfires will face lightning

In the forecast for parts of British Columbia, workers fighting relentless wildfires will face lightning

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Staff fighting dozens of relentless wildfires in British Columbia are closely watching Friday’s weather, and forecasts for dry lightning and some of the worst-hit areas have hardly eased.

According to the British Columbia Wildfire Bureau, Okanagan and Caribou remain the largest and most persistent fire centers in the province. Fire Information Officer Karley Desrosiers said firefighters are wary of possible lightning in these areas on Friday.

“For the southern half of the province, [it’s] It may be dry lightning, and in the north, we expect considerable precipitation,” Desrosiers said in an interview with CBC News on Friday.

“Unfortunately, the province currently needs a lot of precipitation to have any impact on the number of new fires and the fire behavior we see.”

The service said it was forced to focus on wildfires that threatened lives and safety due to lack of resources.

Spokesperson Kurtis Isfeld said at a briefing on Thursday that issues such as hot weather are affecting firefighting partners in other provinces, which means fewer resources are available for sharing.

“Given our current resource challenges, we cannot commit to all new ignitions,” he said.

BC faces an extended fire season

According to the service, 210 of the 305 wildfires currently burning in the 18th district of BC that began on the last day were caused by lightning.

Desrosiers said the staff was grateful for any help they could get during such a fierce fire event.

“In this case, it smokes and is very hot, so support from outside the province is very important to keep it going. [firefighting efforts] In the long run,” she explained.

“We are considering extending the season, so we hope to provide our employees with the rest time they really need.”

On July 15, 2021, a wildfire burned near Ashcroft, British Columbia. (Michael MacArthur/Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Desrosiers said that as of Friday, there are 94 people from other provinces in BC, and another 21 will arrive later in the day. She added that the service is “beginning to explore” international support.

The service said that the current fire situation in BC was more typical in August, rather than mid-July.Caused by smoke Air quality alert One-third of the province, from the Thompson-Nicolas region to Kootenay to the peace region.

As of Thursday night, more than 50 evacuation alerts have been in place, affecting 10,000 properties across the province.

Cache Creek, British Columbia, west of Kamloops, is one of several communities in evacuation alert status. Horsting’s Farmers Market staff operates on Highway 97 north of the town and is leaving this week.

“We are ready, among the employees and owners, pack and set off right away. Hope it won’t get to that point, but like I said, this is not our first rodeo show here,” said manager Chelsey Nuli , Referring to the record-breaking wildfire season that forced thousands of people to suddenly evacuate towns in 2017.

Chelsey Nuli, manager of Horsting’s Farmers Market in Cache Creek, British Columbia, said the record-breaking heat wave and early wildfire season have been a challenge. (Mike MacArthur/Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Nuli said the combination of the record heat wave in late June and the violent early fire season put pressure on agriculture and small businesses.

“In such hot weather, our harvest is much faster than in the past, and now there is nowhere to move due to road closures. We are losing revenue, we are losing our market for customers who can come,” she said.

“June and July are our biggest months. Unfortunately, with these wildfires and road closures, I don’t know what will happen next.”


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

Evacuation centers have been set up across the province to help anyone evacuating from communities threatened by wildfires.To find the center closest to you, visit Emergency Management in British Columbia. Website.

Encourage evacuees to Emergency Support Service Online, regardless of whether they receive services in an evacuation center or not.



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