B.C. Wildfire Service welcoming cooler conditions

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — The BC Wildfire Service is welcoming a change in weather conditions, as it continues to battle nearly 250 blazes across the province.

Fire Information Officer Erika Berg says the scorching heat has turned cooler and there’s actually some precipitation on the way.

“So especially the Kamloops Fire Centre, as well as the Southeast — those have been areas of high concern for us, just given how dry those fuels are. And with lightning rolling through the area, what we don’t like to see is any dry lightning, but thankfully there will be some precipitation accompanying those convective cells.”

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The province has been battling drought-like conditions, as the Lower Mainland went 46 days in a row without significant rainfall.

Berg says there are 37 wildfires of note burning right now, including the Garrison Lake Fire near Princeton.

“There is evacuation alerts and effects through the Regional District at the Okanagan Similkameen, and that fire is currently mapped at over 8,000 hectares in size.”

The forecasted precipitation later on this week comes after a dry June and July.

“We are looking forward to some of that rain hitting those areas of concern, in areas where there are current large active wildfires.”