Summer storms across B.C. led to nearly 70,000 lightning strikes in the past week, which has sparked more wildfires, officials said at an update on Wednesday afternoon.
As of Wednesday morning, there were 120 active wildfires across B.C., including 12 that started in the last 24 hours and 27 that were declared out.
“In total, there have been just over 850 wildfires started this year,” Ravi Parmar, the Minister of Forests of British Columbia, said.
“In comparison, last year at this time, we were just over a thousand.”
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While the Wesley Ridge wildfire on Vancouver Island is now 538 hectares in size, Parmar said that is not the only fire that crews are responding to.
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“The B.C. Wildfire Service has been responding vigorously to wildfires throughout the province,” he added.
“Over 85 air tanker missions have been flown in the last week, and the initial attack units have been getting fires out before they grow.
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“Thanks to the quick, effective action from our B.C. Wildfire Service crews and local firefighters we’ve been able to contain 85 per cent of the fires this season to four hectares or less.”
Parmar said the wildfire activity in the past few days serves as a reminder that the wildfire situation can change at any time.
“It’s vital that we take all the necessary steps to remain prepared and that we continue to do our part to prevent human caused wildfires,” he added.
“This past weekend, Conservation Office Service issued 26 violation tickets for illegal campfire campfires in the coastal Fire Center. That’s unacceptable. This kind of activity puts people and livelihoods at risk.”
Cliff Chapman, director of wildfire operations for the B.C. Wildfire Service said Vancouver Island, the northeast and the mainland coast remain the highest at risk for increased wildfire activity.
“There is no place in B.C. this year, and frankly any year, that is going to be safe from wildfires,” he added.
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While much of British Columbia experienced rain on Wednesday, with some more to come in parts on Thursday, Chapman said people need to know this is not enough rain.
“So what it does is it resets our conditions, but only at a very micro scale,” he said.
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“So we get a couple of days to really actively use direct attack on our fires, really meaning that we’re tight to the edge of the fire and trying to stop it from going any further.
“It gives us the ability to do that, but it doesn’t knock down the hazard for the whole province for the rest of the fire season.”
Light rain and higher humidity have helped firefighters contain the roughly five-square-kilometre Wesley Ridge wildfire, which has forced those living in almost 390 homes in the Regional District of Nanaimo to flee.
The BC Wildfire Service says crews made good progress in improving the containment of the blaze, guarding it from spreading to nearby homes and the Highway 4 corridor.
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Chris Burger, who owns Meadowood Store in Qualicum Beach, has been keeping a close eye on the Wesley Ridge wildfire.
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“This fire is moving right,” he said.
“This is such a beast. I’ve been watching it with this front-row seat, which is fascinating and terrifying at the same time.”
Highway 4, a critical route on Vancouver Island, has not been impacted, officials said, but they are asking people to avoid stopping on the highway and keep the traffic moving.
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