Latest news with #BCWildfireService
CBC
3 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
B.C. wildfires tempered by wet weather but dry conditions on the way, wildfire service says
Social Sharing The B.C. Wildfire Service says it has made great progress tackling fires in the province this summer, with fire crews helped in part by cooler, wetter weather. But conditions are expected to start drying up, and wildfire activity will be more apparent in the southern parts of B.C. "We saw some new starts in the coastal fire centre over the weekend as well as other southern parts of the province, and that trend is likely to continue over the coming weeks," said Jean Strong, information officer with the B.C. Wildfire Service. Strong said up until now, most fires were in the northeastern corners of the province. "We tend to see the activity in the northern half of the province before those fuels green up; they're still dry and they're more likely to ignite," she said. "And as the warmer, drier conditions come in the south of the province, those fuels become more receptive to ignition, and we'll start to see the fire activity trend toward the southern half of the province." As of Monday afternoon, 71 wildfires were burning in B.C. While the wildfire service's efforts have been buoyed by good weather and slower fire starts, the amount of land burned in the last two years has been well above the 20-year average. One of the province's worst years for wildfires was in 2023 — with almost 2.9 million hectares burned. This year, at least 718,988 hectares have been burned so far. Strong said that is a lot of scorched land, most of it in the northeast. "When you look at the southern half of the province, the hectares burned are far below average. And when you compare it to one of the more significant seasons in recent memory, 2023 — by this point in 2023, we had 2.2 million hectares burned so far, so, good perspective there." Strong said this is the time for the public to make sure they're prepared. "It's really important that people be aware that even though we've been fairly lucky so far this year. We haven't had those smoky days in lots of the province, haven't had a lot of those impactful wildfires in lots of the province — it's something that's still on their radar, it's something that's still possible," said Strong. Most of the fires this year have been human-caused. Strong said some areas in the province started their campfire bans on Friday, and if dry periods go on for longer, she expects more prohibitions will start across the province. She said there are plenty of resources online to help families get ready. "... Taking a look at the Firesmart resources to really make your home and your family safer, looking at those preparedness resources to make sure you have everything you need in place before a potential emergency — this is really the time to be doing that, when we're lucky enough to have the cooler weather that's giving us the reduced fire activity so far."
CTV News
4 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Drying trend forecast to return after rain, cooler weather in parts of B.C.
The downtown Vancouver skyline is seen on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck British Columbia's wildfire service says much of the province is experiencing 'unsettled' weather conditions, with rain in some areas that have been hot spots for fire this season, but a drying pattern is forecast to settle in later in the week. The latest bulletin from the BC Wildfire Service says the southern half of the province will see showers and cooler temperatures along with some winds. It says the risk of thunderstorms extends to parts of the Coast Mountains, with most storms bringing rain. In northeastern B.C., a cold front was expected to arrive Sunday, delivering gusty winds and precipitation. The wildfire service says the thunderstorms and showers will extend into the early part of the week, but a return to drier conditions is expected to start on Wednesday or Thursday in the southern parts of the province. Environment Canada issued severe thunderstorm bulletins Sunday for parts of the southern Interior and northeast, spanning Fort Nelson and the Peace River area, as well as the Okanagan, South Thompson, Nicola and Boundary regions and northern parts of the Fraser Canyon, including Lillooet. The weather office says conditions were favourable for the development of severe storms that could bring strong winds and heavy rain. There are just over 70 active wildfires across B.C., with fewer than 10 of those blazes classified as burning out of control as of Sunday. Most of the active blazes are located in northeastern B.C., with clusters on Vancouver Island and in the southern Interior. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2025.
CTV News
5 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
New wildfire burning out of control near Highway 1 in Fraser Canyon
B.C. Wildfire Service crews are responding to a new wildfire burning in Alexandra Bridge Provincial Park in the Fraser Canyon region. (BCWS) Related: Full coverage of B.C.'s 2025 wildfire season B.C. Wildfire Service crews are responding to a new wildfire burning in Alexandra Bridge Provincial Park in the Fraser Canyon region. The blaze was detected Friday evening and was listed at 2.5 hectares in size as of the most recent BCWS update at 11:30 a.m. Saturday. 'This wildfire is visible from Highway 1 but is not currently a threat to structures or critical infrastructure,' the wildfire service said in its update. The BCWS said three crews and an officer worked on the fire overnight, and there were 22 firefighters working at the scene on Saturday. They were being supported by a helicopter and a water tender. The fire is suspected to be human-caused, according to the BCWS. A ban on all open burning – including campfires – took effect in the Coastal Fire Centre at noon on Friday. The Fraser Canyon area is one of the places where the fire ban applies.
CBC
7 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
B.C. Wildfire Service says Osoyoos fire under control
The BC Wildfire Service says a fire that started yesterday near the north end of Osoyoos Lake is now under control. It started at a home and then spread to dry grass and brush.
Global News
18-07-2025
- Climate
- Global News
Lawnmower sparks wildfire in Osoyoos that spread to nearby home
A wildfire sparked north of Osoyoos, B.C., on Thursday. According to the BC Wildfire Service, the Oliver and Osoyoos fire crews responded to a structure fire that appears to have spread. Osoyoos RCMP said the fire is on Radio Tower Road and early indications are that the fire started in the grass while a homeowner was mowing their lawn. 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 fire then spread to a home on the property. RCMP confirmed it did not spread to a second home but it did affect some vehicles. The fire is about 0.5 hectares at this time but is classified as out of control. Residents in the area can see smoke from the fire but RCMP said there are no reports of any injuries. Story continues below advertisement RCMP is assisting with roadblocks in the area and ask that anyone requiring access to the neighbouring properties at the Osoyoos Cottages do so via NkMip Road.
