Wildfire situation improves in southern B.C., worsens up north: officials

Rain is expected to bring some reprieve to the wildfire situation across B.C., but officials warn as things improve in the southern half of the province, they are expected to get worse up north.

In an update on Monday, Cliff Chapman of the BC Wildfire Service says the past 48 hours have brought hot and dry conditions to the northern part of B.C., and with that, fires that have lain dormant for several weeks have found fuel and have begun to grow again.

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He says they’re now getting more assistance sent up to that part of the province.

“We will see a continual flow of resources to the north, but we are not going to start stripping everything off of our fires in the south,” he said. “We have to find that balance.”

Chapman says the wildfire growth hasn’t been limited to a specific area in the northern part of the province, noting that it covers quite a vast area of land. Particular fires of note around the province, he said, include the Little Blue River fire, which led to a temporary closure of Highway 37, and the John Brown Creek fire.

Bowinn Ma, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, said multiple evacuation orders have been downgraded or rescinded across the Okanagan, but the wildfire situation is still “challenging and dynamic,” and 8,000 remain on evacuation order, while 54,000 are on evacuation alert.

“The BC wildfire service local governments and First Nations are working diligently to assess the situation and make sure that areas are safe before people can return to their home, keeping people safe is our first priority,” Ma said. “As soon as it is safe, you’ll be allowed to return to your community.”

“While the situation has momentarily stabilized in the Okanagan, now’s not the time to let our guard down.”

Chapman said while he isn’t able to comment on the total costs of the wildfires so far, he said he knows of all costs, 40 per cent have been spent on aviation assets, and 60 per cent on everything else, including personnel, ground firefighters, and associated heavy equipment.

In total, for air resources, Cliff said there is a fleet of around 35 fixed-wing air tankers and 130 helicopters in operation in B.C.