Heat warnings in place as more than 460 wildfires burn in B.C.

Much of B.C.’s Interior and northern parts of the province are under a heat warning Saturday, as temperatures climb well into the mid-30s.

Environment and Climate Change Canada issued warnings for places like the Okanagan, including Kelowna, Vernon, and Penticton, along with the Fraser Canyon, Kootenay Lake, the Thompson regions, and the Boundary region.

The ECCC says an “unseasonable hot period” will continue Saturday.

For Kootenay Lake and Boundary, temperatures are expected to get up to 37 degrees during the day.

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“Overheating can be harmful to your health and potentially deadly. If someone is experiencing symptoms such as rapid breathing, rapid heart rate, extreme thirst, altered levels of consciousness, and decreased urination with an unusually dark yellow colour, take immediate steps to cool down and seek emergency care,” Emergency Info BC said.

People over the age of 50, who live alone, who have pre-existing health conditions, mental illness, who have limited mobility, or who are pregnant, are at greater risk of overheating.

“Check on family, friends, and neighbours, who are at higher risk, particularly if they live alone. Make sure they have a cool space. For people susceptible to heat, the risk increases at indoor temperatures higher than 26°C, and temperatures higher than 31°C can be dangerous,” the emergency information group added.

The heat warnings come as the province sees more than 460 wildfires burning Saturday, up from 370 last Sunday.

Almost 100 evacuation orders and alerts are in place across B.C. due to wildfires. (Courtesy B.C. Government)

The Kamloops fire centre has seen the most amount of new fires over the last 48 hours, according to the BC Wildfire Service Wildfire Map.

Twenty-six fires are now categorized as “Wildfires of Note,” with the majority of those clustered in the centre of the province.

There are now almost 100 evacuation alerts and orders in place across the province — up from around 80 last Sunday.

This comes as the province has seen weeks of persistent drought conditions.

Drought conditions for much of B.C. have worsened over the last week, according to the province’s River Forecast Centre’s update Thursday.

The centre says as of July 19, 74 river streamflow stations were at record lows, up from 71 just a week earlier.

Thursday’s update comes after the province increased the drought level to level 5 in three regions of B.C., including the South Peace, Parsnip, and Upper Fraser — West.

Wildfire closes highway near Bella Coola

Meanwhile, DriveBC says Highway 20 east of Bella Coola is closed in both directions due to a wildfire that has grown to more than 25-square kilometres in size.

The BC Wildfire Service says fire behaviour for the Young Creek wildfire, about 35 kilometres west of Anahim Lake, has increased due to high temperatures, low humidity and strong winds.

This comes after the Cariboo Regional District issued an evacuation order for 43-square kilometres near the community of Anahim Lake on Friday and residents were told to leave immediately using the highway.

UPDATE – #BCHwy20 – Closed between Corbould Drive and Elsey Road for 60.2 km (13 km west of #AnahimLake to 19 km east of #FirvaleBC).

No scheduled convoy for Sat, July 22nd, 2023.

Next update: Sun Jul 23 at 9 AM PDT.

https://t.co/5w2itYB2BE#KnowBeforeYouGo #BCWildfire https://t.co/QHZowIpJaR pic.twitter.com/sNpgEL1HMh

— DriveBC (@DriveBC) July 22, 2023

More than 100 international firefighters joined BC Wildfire Service members who are battling about 460 active blazes burning across the province.

The Canadian Armed Forces, which also deployed members earlier this week to help fight fires, shared a photo on social media showing military members using axes to “break up hot spots” and chop charred and still-smouldering brush near Vanderhoof, B.C.

A contingent of 150 members from the @CanadianForces are beginning to arrive in support of the ongoing response by #BCWildfire Service to the unprecedented wildfire activity across British Columbia. pic.twitter.com/d9DVsSqLz5

— BC Wildfire Service (@BCGovFireInfo) July 19, 2023

All our respect and admiration goes out to our members who continue to support local communities and battle wildfires in Quebec, Alberta, and Nova Scotia during #OpLENTUS. Bravo Zulu and stay safe everyone!

Photo:

• Cpl Marc-André Leclerc
• MCpl Morris
• WO James Roberge pic.twitter.com/DZqlI4oPUk

— Canadian Armed Forces (@CanadianForces) July 18, 2023

BC Wildfire Service officials have forecast an increase in fires in southern B.C. as cooler temperatures and rain are forecast for the province’s north, where some of the largest fires are burning. But it says hot, dry weather persists in Cranbrook, Kamloops, the Okanagan, Vancouver Island and B.C. Lower Mainland.

–With files from The Canadian Press