Firefighters are actively working to control 152 wildfires raging across the province of British Columbia. Surprisingly, the thick smoke from these fires could actually aid in their suppression efforts.
During a press briefing held in Victoria, B.C.’s Minister of Forests, Ravi Parmar, highlighted the unique way in which the smoke is assisting firefighting teams. He explained that in some areas, the smoke is acting as natural cloud cover, shielding the sun’s heat during the day and promoting cooler temperatures at night.
Despite this temporary advantage, Parmar expressed concerns about the upcoming weather forecast. He warned that the intense heat is expected to persist over the weekend, with temperatures soaring up to 10 degrees higher than normal in certain regions. Unfortunately, there is no significant rainfall predicted to alleviate the fire risk.
The looming threat of lightning strikes further complicates the situation. While a major lightning event is not anticipated in the immediate future, lightning activity is projected to increase along the coast later in the week. Parmar emphasized that this summer has witnessed unprecedented heat records in several parts of the province.
The absence of rain, combined with more than 6000 lightning strikes, has triggered a surge in wildfires in recent days. Shockingly, over 75% of the ongoing fires are suspected to have been ignited by lightning strikes.
According to the BC Wildfire Service, a total of 12 new fires emerged between Tuesday and Wednesday, while 24 have been successfully contained during the same period.