Lightning Blamed For Most Of New Wildfires

Thirty-two new fires started in BC Thursday — a significant jump from earlier this week.

Navi Saini, information officer from the BC Wildfire Service says most of those were caused by lightning.

“We were anticipating seeing new fire starts because of lightning, and the majority of the starts were concentrated in southern sections of the province, so Kamloops, Cariboo and Southeast fire centres,” says Saini.

Photo: Highway into Cache Creek stained red with fire retardant used by air tankers. (Craig Foster)

Saini adds some areas of the province got varying amounts of rain on Thursday.

“It’s hard to say just how much of an impact that had, but we really need prolonged rain over a extended period of time to make to really make improvements in the fire situation.”

Overall, there are 167 fires burning in BC, with the Wildfire Service warning of a return of hot dry weather and windier conditions on Sunday.

The Gustafson fire near 100 Mile House is 5,700 hectares and 45% contained, Hanceville in the Chilcotin is 135,000 hectares and o% contained, White Lake near Williams Lake is 8,107 and 10%, Wildwood near Williams lake is 13,215 with no mentioned of containment, and Elephant Hill, formerly the Ashcroft Reserve fire,  is 58.363 and 30% contained.

About 43-thousand people remain evacuated from their homes.