Wildfire activity throughout B.C. has calmed somewhat from the situation experienced just a couple of weeks ago.
There are 127 wildfires burning in B.C. right now, three of them spotted yesterday. Those numbers are well below the days when as many as 18 new fires were being reported on practically a daily basis as most of the province was under an extreme fire danger rating.
Only the southeast portion of B.C. remains in that extreme rating zone, as extremely hot temperatures persist amid dry conditions. There is a risk of lightning today along the south east border with Alberta, so there is a potential for further flare ups says Wildfire Branch Chief Information Officer Kevin Skrepnek. “We are going to have to keep a close eye on these weather systems to see where that lightning is going to come and whether or not it’s going to come with any rain.”
There were ten new wildfires sparked over the weekend, 4 of them caused by human activity. Skrepnek says there is a concern that people may be complacent now that the fire danger rating has been downgraded for much of the province and there have been wet and cool conditions . “If people are in an area where campfires are allowed that they are fully extinguishing them before they leave the area for any period of time, and especially for the next few days given that quick rebound to hot and dry conditions ( in the southern interior) making sure people are using all proper precautions in the back country.”
Since April 1st, the cost of fire fighting in B.C. has hit $190 million dollars, with 1,447 fires throughout the Province, burning 283,000 hectares since that date.