Out-of-control wildfire burning south of Sproat Lake
The BC Wildfire Service is battling an out-of-control wildfire on Vancouver Island.
The Nahmint Mountain fire, which is burning just south of Sproat Lake, was first spotted on Sunday and has since grown to 15 hectares in size.
The wildfire service has deployed two initial attack crews and a unit crew, who are being supported by two helicopters.
Human activity is believed to have started the fire.
2:07
Wildfire smoke chokes communities across Canada, U.S.
The blaze comes as the risk of wildfires grows across the province amid hot, dry weather.
Story continues below advertisement
As of Monday, virtually all of British Columbia had a fire danger rating of 'moderate' or above, with pockets of 'extreme' danger in central and northeast B.C.
Get breaking National news
For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
The province's northeast has been hardest hit so far this year, with dozens of active wildfires currently burning and evacuation orders in effect due to the Pocket Knife Creek and Kiskatinaw River wildfires.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Global News
an hour ago
- Global News
Saskatoon flood mitigation plan: Several projects near completion, others to begin
In an effort to prevent reoccurring flood, Saskatoon is continuing to work on their nine-year $54-million flood control strategy. Work on projects began in 2019, with active projects starting up this summer. Dry storm ponds have been installed to help pool water and drain it through an underwater storm system that leads into the Saskatchewan River. This prevents the water from building up in the streets and in basements. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Weaver Park was the third project is almost complete, now that the dry storm pond has grown grass, landscaping, paths and lights to be added to upgrade the park. This dry storm pond will prevent flooding in buildings near Cascade Street and Dufferin Avenue, and Bute Street and Dufferin Avenue. The fourth project is at Brevoort Park South. Installation of the new underground storage system is complete, meaning the city can now begin to landscape the park. The park is expected to reopen again in early 2026. Story continues below advertisement Projects 5 and 6 will be happening this June. Construction will begin for a dry storm pond at Cumberland Park and an additional pond on the University of Saskatchewan lands. Watch the video above for more information.
Global News
2 hours ago
- Global News
Heat warning issued after days of 30-degree temperatures in the Okanagan
With 11 days still to go before the official start of summer, the Okanagan is already sweltering through an early-season heat wave — and forecasters warn there's more to come. Environment Canada has issued a heat warning after four straight days of temperatures above 30 C. Officials say the sudden jump in temperatures is especially concerning because people haven't had time to adjust. 'We haven't had time to acclimatize to the heat yet,' said Environment Canada scientist Christy Climenhaga. 'So it can be very notable and it can be dangerous.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy In Kelowna, the seasonal average is about 23 C during the day and 9 C at night. Right now, temperatures are running roughly 10 degrees above normal. While Kelowna isn't currently under a heat alert, the city has plans in place, should conditions worsen. Story continues below advertisement 'If it hits 35 C for two or more days, we move into a heat alert,' said City of Kelowna Risk Manager Lance Kayfish. 'At that point, we activate extra measures, including free transit so people can get to a place to cool down.' If the extreme heat continues, the city will escalate its response. 'That includes opening four cooling centres across the community,' Kayfish added. Adding to the concern, much of the province — including the Okanagan — is experiencing below-average rainfall. The BC Wildfire Service says conditions are already dry and could worsen without significant rain. 'We'd need multiple days with 20 to 30 millimetres of rain,' said Neal McLoughlin of BC Wildfire Service. 'That's just not in the forecast right now. So in areas already facing drought, we expect fire activity to be at its greatest.' A cooldown is expected midweek, but Environment Canada says the rest of the summer will likely bring warmer-than-normal conditions.
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Dry northeast 'region of greatest concern' in B.C.'s wildfire season: officials
British Columbia's wildland firefighters are predicting a busy fire season in parts of the province, particularly in the northeast where multiple evacuation orders are already in place and fires have been growing rapidly. Neal McLoughlin, superintendent of predictive services for the B.C. Wildfire Service, said that while spring rainfall and normal temperatures have alleviated some concern, the likelihood of an active season is growing in regions experiencing persistent drought, including the southwestern Interior, the Chilcotin and the far northwest. "But the northeast is the region of greatest concern, and will experience continued fire activity through the summer, given their multi-year drought conditions and presence of overwintering fires that have shown up this spring," he told a news conference Monday. McLoughlin said the amount of rain required to mitigate risk in areas of persistent drought isn't on the way. "We would need upwards of 150 millimetres of rain over the next three weeks to really make a dent in some of those high drought levels. We'd be looking at multiple days of 20 to 30 millimetres of rain, and we're just not seeing that in the outlook," he said. David Campbell, head of the province's river forecast centre, told reporters that the northeast is experiencing Level 3 and 4 droughts, the highest level of severity. "We've really seen a cumulative lack of rainfall over the last one to two years, and that's really been a key driver in terms of ongoing and persistent drought in those regions," he said. As of June 1, Campbell says that the province is averaging around 44 per cent of normal snowpack levels, decreasing from 61 per cent recorded on May 15. Minister of Emergency Management Kelly Greene said at the news conference that 10 evacuation orders were in place, affecting approximately 120 households in the Peace River Regional District, Fort Nelson First Nation and Northern Rockies Regional Municipality. Greene encouraged British Columbians to be prepared for emergencies this summer by gathering together things including several days of food and water, medications and important paperwork. "'I'm asking everyone to have a plan in place now, before there's an emergency. Now is the time to make sure you have your grab-and-go bag ready for you and your family, including any pets," she said. Forests Minister Ravi Parmar, speaking at the news conference, said that B.C. had deployed over 100 wildland firefighters to the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario. "We expect the majority of our people resources will be back in B.C. in the next week," he said. "We often look to June rains as an indicator of how severe our wildfire season will be," he added. "And although it's still early, models are showing that much of the province is trending towards warm and dry conditions and so we may not get the precipitation we're hoping for."
