The harsh heat settling in across B.C. is causing some serious concerns for crews on the frontlines of a wildfire that’s already grown to 150 hectares in size just south of Lytton.
There are a pair of evacuation alerts in place as firefighters try to control the fast-moving flames.
We are responding to the Cantilever Bar wildfire (K71095), approximately 10 km south of Lytton, on the west side of the Fraser River. This wildfire is currently estimated to be 150 hectares in size. Learn more: https://t.co/XiCEPDcZNd pic.twitter.com/Z4D8jdeAsd
This is not the first time this season there has been a wildfire near Lytton, but it comes at a time that the mercury is rising.
1130 NewsRadio Meteorologist Michael Kuss says the peak of the heat will run from Tuesday to Thursday.
“Where daytime highs are going to soar into, at least, the mid to upper 30s, in that 35 to 38, 39-degree range for the Interior. From Lytton through the Okanagan Valley and the Boundary region, there’s no risk of precipitation in there at all. And the overnight lows are climbing too to close to 20 degrees. We do get a cool down come Friday with a chance of showers.”
However, it’s unclear if that chance of showers will be enough to dampen the smoke or flames.
The BC Wildfire Service says the fire is believed to have been caused by people.
It’s been a rough fire season for B.C. There have been more than 500 wildfires recorded since the beginning of April and currently there are 63 active fires sprinkled around the province.
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Fighting them is also incredibly expensive. Last year, the province spent $769.4 million on this, adding 30 per cent of all fires were caused by people. Lightning caused the other 70 per cent.
In 2023, 2,840,104 hectares burned, and Victoria spent $1,094.8 million.
So far this season, the area burned by wildfires is the second largest on record in Canada.
Last month, Public Safety Canada said the greatest fire danger in July is expected to be in southern B.C., which has come to fruition.
This year’s fire season — the second worst since 2023 — has seen wildfires consume 3.7 million hectares, which is six times the area of Prince Edward Island. The 10-year average for wildfire seasons is about 800,000 hectares.
In response to what’s happening in B.C., the provincial government is holding a news conference at 11 a.m. to discuss its plan to address emergency preparedness, wildfires and drought.
—With files from The Canadian Press
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