Wildfire concerns are escalating across B.C.’s Interior on Monday.
Environment Canada issued thunderstorm warnings across the Okanagan, South Thompson, and Nicola regions.
Forecasters say strong winds, hail, and lightning could rapidly ignite new blazes and fan already existing flames across these regions.
According to the BC Wildfire Service, the Kamloops Fire Centre, which includes those regions, reports two out-of-control wildfires and four fires that are under control as of Monday at 5 p.m.
The Placer Creek Wildfire is currently 3,1 hectares in size, while the second out-of-control wildfire was just discovered today and is 0.01 hectares in size.
Amanda Wise of the BC Wildfire Service says crews are actively preparing for these rapidly changing conditions.
“Things can change in the blink of an eye,” Wise explains.
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She emphasizes the volatile nature of the situation, noting that conditions can change quickly.
“The latter half of the week, we are going to be seeing that warming trend and the drying conditions start to pick up, especially in that southern region of the province,” she said.
Currently, 70 wildfires are burning across the province, with the majority concentrated in B.C.’s northeast corner.
In Fort Nelson, air quality is significantly impacted by wildfire smoke, prompting an air-quality advisory.
