Province braces for potential new fires from lightning strikes

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – Hot and dry conditions continue to provide the perfect environment for increased fire activity across the province compared to historical averages. 

During a provincial government update on August 6th, BC Wildfire Service Director Cliff Chapman detailed more than 1,103 wildfires currently burning throughout the province, more than three times the current ten-year average. 

The provincial update, hosted by Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Bowinn Ma, featured the Executive Director of Water Management, Connie Chapman, and the director of the BC Wildfire Service, Cliff Chapman. 

The update focused on the Chilcotin River landslide and the status of wildfires across the province. 

According to Ma, more than 1,000 BC residents are currently under an evacuation order, and more than 2,500 are under an evacuation warning due to wildfires. 

When presenting current and historical data, Cliff Chapman explained the province has around 340 wildfires currently burning, with eight considered ‘wildfires of note,’ 

“There is still potential as we go through August that we may add wildfires of note as we continue to detect new fires, and they challenge our suppression efforts,” Chapman said. 

All eight wildfires Chapman noted are located in the Southeast and Kamloops fire centres. 

When discussing the outlook over the next several days, Chapman stated the possibility of new wildfires due to the estimated 10,000 lightning strikes experienced across the province in the past seven days is substantial.

“We continue to pick up 12 to 24 fires a day, and we expect that to continue for the next two or three days,” Chapman said. 

The service forecasts a return to ‘seasonal norms’ in terms of warm and dry temperatures, with a continued risk of lightning strikes over the next few days.