Wildfires have forced hundreds from their homes in Canada’s westernmost province and officials warn weeks more of scorching temperatures will add pressure to fire crews already in the parched region.
The British Columbia wildfire service said crews were battling more than 300 blazes, with more than half of the fires are classified as out of control. Thousands of residents are under evacuation alert, readying to leave their homes at a moment’s notice.
“Fire suppression efforts continue to be challenged due to hot, dry conditions and localized winds,” the wildfire service said in an update. “A three-week heatwave continues, and more hot and dry conditions are expected to continue for most of the province.”
Over the weekend, 14 communities in the province eclipsed or matched daily high-temperature records. Lytton, a community which was completely incinerated by a 2021 wildfire, shattered a 78-year-old record when it hit 41.2C (106F) on 21 July.
The province’s wildfire service said nearly 1,000 provincial firefighters were on the ground, aided by crews from Nova Scotia and Ontario as well as New Zealand and Australia.
Hot, dry conditions mean those crews are trapped in a Whac-A-Mole situation, scrambling to prioritize attacks on new blazes while tending to existing fires close to towns and cities. A spate of lightning strikes have also further complicated efforts. Officials believe there have been close to 1,300 strikes in the province since last week and lightning is believe to be the culprit in nearly 90% of the current fires.
Still, the vagaries of daily weather mean the province is faring better than it did last year, when it endured its worst-ever wildfire season, with 1.45m hectares (3.6m acres) burned.
In one case, the Donnie Creek fire in northern British Columbia charred more than 571,000 hectares. The record-breaking blaze was among the 100 fires that burned into December. This year, officials say the fire season is more in line with the 10-year average, which would see 300,000 hectares burned by the autumn.
In neighbouring Alberta, thick smoke from more than 150 fires blanketed major cities, prompting air quality alerts. Officials say 7,500 people are under evacuation orders.
Nearly 900 active fires are burning across the country, with 352 classified as out of control.
