430 wildfires burn across B.C. with 107 starts in past 24 hours

B.C. continues to see more wildfires spark across the province, as cooler weather brought wind and lightning to tinder-dry areas.

The BC Wildfire Service says that as of Wednesday morning, there were 107 fire starts in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of wildfires in the province to 430.

The service adds a further 83 fires were put out in the past day.

About 80 per cent of the fires were started by lightning, and about six per cent were caused by humans. The BCWS says recent thunderstorms brought 58,000 lightning strikes, and they expect to see new fire starts from those over the next few days.

Over 258 fires are currently classified as “out of control.”

During a wildfire update Wednesday afternoon, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Bowinn Ma assured B.C. residents that the province is “here to support you.”

“Our service and emergency management personnel are working tirelessly and around the clock to keep you and your communities safe,” she said.

The wildfire service says local planes and helicopters, as well as aircraft from the Yukon, Ontario, Quebec, and Alaska, have joined the firefight, with almost 100 air tanker missions from July 18 to 21 dropping 5.4 million litres of suppressant.

“Right now, we are asking everyone to take steps to be prepared,” Ma said. “That means having your grab-and-go kit ready for your household. Have it packed and ready by your door.

“In your grab-and-go bag, it is important to include your emergency plan, copies of important documents, supplies for your pets, and cherished mementoes.”

People using bodies of water near out-of-control fires such as Shawnigan Lake adjacent to the Old Man Lake wildfire on Vancouver Island have been warned to “keep well away” from aircraft either skimming water or operating otherwise in the area.

Meanwhile, the Shetland Creek fire is continuing to burn out of control west of Kamloops. It’s nearing 200 square kilometres in size and has so far destroyed six homes.

Near Quesnel, the Antler Creek wildfire has exploded in size over the last couple of days. The BCWS says the Antler Creek fire is considered “out-of-control” and sits at 14,283 hectares as of Tuesday night, almost five times bigger than Monday night. Evacuation orders are still in place for the Barkerville, Wells, and Bowron Lake park areas.

An evacuation alert has been upgraded to an evacuation order in the North Okanagan due to wildfire activity. The Regional District of North Okanagan says the order is for the east side of Sugar Lake due to the Sitkum Creek Wildfire, based on recommendations from the BC Wildfire Service. The city says the change is because of “immediate danger to life safety.”

“All lands east of Sugar Lake, from the southern end to the northern tip, and from the east shore to a line north south-through Initiative Peak. This region includes all sites within Sugar Lake Resort at 1630 Sugar Lake Road,” it said.

According to BC Wildfire Services, the Sitkum Creek Wildfire, 63 kilometres northeast of Vernon is “out-of-control” at the size of 1,501 hectares, as of Tuesday afternoon.

Around Slocan Lake, the Komonko Creek and Aylwin Creek wildfires are now over a combined six square kilometres. The fires have closed a part of Highway 6. 

Meanwhile, the City of Revelstoke issued an evacuation alert due Tuesday night due to a wildfire in the vicinity of Alpha Creek. The alert was issued for the north end of Armstrong Lake to Trout Lake, and Trout Lake up Lardeau Creek to Cup Creek. This includes Ferguson, Five Mile, and CM Galena.

The city says the alert is issued because of the health, safety and welfare of people in the areas.

Minister Ma stressed that “if you have friends or family that live in areas prone to wildfire, now is the time to reach out and offer your support.”

“Being under an evacuation alert or an evacuation order can be incredibly stressful. It is important that we are there for each other during times of crisis, and that we prepare now for those times,” she said. “If you are placed under an evacuation order, you must leave immediately, follow all directions from local officials and evacuate using the routes that are identified in the evacuation order.”

British Columbians stepped up for Jasper evacuees: Emergency Minister

After thousands of people were evacuated from Jasper, Alta., on Monday night, Ma shared that the province and Alberta government have been working “closely” to support evacuees and the response effort.

“The entire town of Jasper and Jasper National Park in Alberta was evacuated with very little notice. The only safe route for evacuees was to travel west along Highway 16 into British Columbia,” she explained.

Ma says the Alberta government has directed evacuees to emergency reception centres in Grand Prairie, Calgary, and Edmonton.

“I want to recognize the generosity of British Columbian communities along the evacuation route. They have stepped up for our neighbours and friends from Alberta in a major way. They assisted them through their journey during harrowing times, from Valemount, and McBride, and Prince George, to Clearwater, Barrier, and Kamloops — people, community leaders, and businesses have been pulling together to lend their support,” Ma said.

“People opened their hearts and their homes to evacuees that needed support. … When people are in need, whether they are our friends, our loved ones, our neighbours or complete strangers, British Columbians come together and they step up in a big way. It is part of who we are, and I sincerely thank everyone who has assisted these efforts here in British Columbia.”

–With files from Aastha Pandey-Kanaan