BC wildfire season sparks to life from severe weather & lightning

British Columbia continues to battle wildfires across the province, with currently at 113 total active fires as severe weather and lightning help the spread.

READ MORE: More than 100 properties ordered to evacuate as Wildfire near Big Bar Lake grows

As of Saturday, 94 new wildfires have appeared in the last 24 hours, with at least 14 evacuation orders in place and 8 evacuations at the same time. Of recent note is the Fiftynine Creek wildfire, which was only discovered Friday and has already grown to cover 4000 hectares.

The persistent drought conditions are making the situation worse, with the lack of moisture allowing wildfires to expand at a steady rate, with the Ainsley Creek wildfire that was discovered on July 4th, expanding to almost 17,000 hectares of land.

Sunday impacts

Going into Sunday, air quality warnings are in place for parts of Okanagan, with them expecting to expand as the day continues.

And blowing wildfire smoke is set to bring hazardous air quality to many southern B.C. residents, just as current wildfires are doing to Ontario.

Increasing temperatures and limited precipitation focused in the north of the province will continue to reduce moisture levels and increase the potential for new wildfires. Rain is expected to wrap around, just missing most of the current wildfires and leaving most of southern B.C. dry.

As of writing, 75 wildfires remain out of control, with 22 under control and the last 16 being held from expanding.

It is recommended to modify your outdoor plans as air quality worsens, and those who have an increased risk, such as those susceptible to respiratory illnesses, should try to stay inside. Also seek to monitor your local district fire centre to know if or when you’ll need to evacuate as needed.

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