More than 400 wildfires burning across B.C.

The number of wildfires in B.C. has grown to over 400 after weeks of tinder-dry, warm conditions.

The BC Wildfire Service says it is now tracking 407 active fires in the province. The bulk of the blazes can be seen in the eastern part of the province, near the Alberta border.

However, due to slightly cooler weather on Thursday, the BCWS says only 13 fires were sparked in the last 24 hours.

There are still 25 evacuation orders and 31 evacuation alerts in place around B.C.

Meanwhile, the BCWS says the rapid expansion of an out-of-control fire near Golden can be blamed on “unfavourable” weather.

The service says winds fanned by a cold front were to blame for the fire’s rapid growth and similar fire behaviour can be expected even as rain and cooler weather settles in on the province.

Firefighters had been battling a spike in wildfires since the weekend, when dry weather and a heat wave were followed by tens of thousands of lightning strikes.

The Town of Golden says as many as six homes were destroyed by the 55-square-kilometre Dogtooth Forest Service Road fire, but damage assessments are still being done to confirm that number. 

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