Conditions cool after B.C. wildfires double in a week with 67,000 lightning strikes
There are more than 130 active fires in B.C., up from about 60 a week ago, though the BC Wildfire Service says cooler temperatures, scattered showers and a decrease in thunderstorm activity would help firefighting efforts this week.
There is one so-called wildfire of note, the Wesley Ridge blaze discovered last Thursday near Cathedral Grove, a renowned old-growth forest east of Port Alberni.
The out-of-control blaze spans just over five square kilometres, with the latest update from the wildfire service saying helicopters equipped with night-vision technology worked overnight to dump water on hot spots.
The service says crews made 'good progress' on Monday improving containment lines to protect homes and critical infrastructure along Highway 4.
It says there are 164 firefighters assigned to the Wesley Ridge blaze, along with structure protection crews, eight helicopters and other aircraft.
About 40 wildfires are classified as burning out of control across B.C., with Environment Canada issuing a series of smoke-related air quality statements for parts of the Cariboo, Okanagan, Fraser Canyon, Prince George and South Thompson regions, along with parts of eastern Vancouver Island.
The 14-square-kilometre Cantilever Bar fire continues to burn out of control on the west side of the Fraser River about 10 kilometres south of Lytton.
The wildfire service says the blaze is 'highly visible' from Highway 1.
An update posted Tuesday says fire activity increased the day before, but smoke was coming from within the fire perimeter and crews did not see any new growth.
The blaze has prompted evacuation orders and alerts by the Thompson Nicola Regional District and the Lytton, Skuppah and Siska First Nations.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 5, 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
23 minutes ago
- CBC
Ontario labour federation urges more worker protections as air quality concerns grow
An Ontario labour group says it is advocating for more robust worker protections amid growing health concerns over poor air quality, as wildfire smoke blankets the province with increasing frequency. The Ontario Federation of Labour, which represents more than 55 unions across the province, says the push is part of a broader heat stress strategy looking at how climate change is impacting working conditions. Its president Laura Walton says provincial regulations outline winter temperature benchmarks to protect workers from the cold, but there are no such protections from the heat or poor air quality. She says the federation is working with the provincial New Democrats to introduce a motion to the legislature in November advocating for better worker protections amid increasing extreme weather events. Michael Lynk, professor emeritus of law at Western University and a former labour lawyer, says the more frequent air quality warnings should require unions to be more "aggressive" in asserting workplace rights in the coming years.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Warm, sunny, and a bit hazy Wednesday
Windsor Watch CTV Windsor Meteorologist Gary Archibald has the forecast details for Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025.
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
New Brunswick water bombers sent to help fight raging Newfoundland wildfires
As out-of-control wildfires continue to spread in Newfoundland, aircraft from New Brunswick took off from the Fredericton airport Wednesday to help crews battle the blazes. Three Air Tractor 802F water bombers, a bird dog aircraft and an air technician officer headed to Canada's most easterly province to help extinguish three separate blazes that have displaced hundreds over the last three days. Air Tractors are the largest single-engine water bombers in the country, capable of holding 3,100 litres of water apiece. Forest Protection Limited owns and operates 11 Air Tractor 802Fs that are kept at Fredericton International Airport. The water bombers will stay on the island for up to five days, according to Tony Cole, a spokesperson for New Brunswick Wildfire Management. "I expect that they're going to struggle to get these fires under control right away," he said. "It's going to take a fair bit of effort." The fires are located in Kingston and Holyrood on the Avalon Peninsula, and south of Grand Falls-Windsor in the central region. All three are classified as out of control as of Wednesday afternoon, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. Newfoundland isn't expecting any rain for the next 10 days, contributing to tinderbox conditions across the island. Two of the fires have led to evacuation orders for nearby communities — an increasingly common occurrence for Newfoundland and Labrador in recent months. The province has endured 198 wildfires so far this season, compared to just under 60 at the same time last year. Three other fires on the island are now considered to be under control. Atlantic region at risk As the risk of wildfires grows across the Atlantic region with continued dry conditions, Cole advises New Brunswickers to be cautious in the heat. "I would just ask people to be very vigilant and careful, and exercise extreme caution during this time," Cole said. According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, the national preparedness level is currently a five on a five-point scale. That means firefighters and equipment in every region in Canada are in use and help has been requested from outside the country. The entire province of New Brunswick is currently under a fire ban.
