British Columbia reports that fire crews are currently engaged in combatting over 300 blazes, with over half of them categorised as being out of control.
where people are on evacuation alert at the weekend. Photograph: Jesse Winter/Reuters (source from theguardian.com)
Wildfires in Canada’s westernmost province have resulted in the evacuation of hundreds of residents from their homes. Officials are cautioning that the ongoing scorching temperatures will further strain the fire crews already operating in the dry region.
The British Columbia wildfire service reported that their crews were actively combating over 300 blazes, with a majority of the fires categorised as being beyond their control. Numerous inhabitants are currently on evacuation alert, preparing to evacuate their residences promptly.
The wildfire service stated in an update that fire suppression efforts are being hindered by the combination of hot, dry conditions and localised winds. “The province is currently experiencing a three-week period of unusually hot weather, and it is anticipated that these hot and dry conditions will persist for the majority of the province.”
During the weekend, 14 communities in the province either exceeded or equaled their daily high-temperature records. The community of Lytton experienced complete destruction from a wildfire in 2021, and it broke a 78-year-old record by reaching a temperature of 41.2C (106F) on July 21st.
The provincial wildfire service reported that approximately 1,000 firefighters from the province, along with additional crews from Nova Scotia, Ontario, New Zealand, and Australia, were actively working on the ground.
The scorching and arid weather conditions have resulted in the entrapment of the firefighting teams in a challenging situation akin to the game of Whac-A-Mole. They are constantly rushing to prioritise their efforts in combating new fires while simultaneously attending to the existing ones that pose a threat to nearby towns and cities. Additionally, a series of lightning strikes has further complicated the ongoing efforts. Authorities estimate that there have been approximately 1,300 instances of lightning strikes in the province since last week, and it is believed that lightning is responsible for nearly 90% of the ongoing fires.
However, despite the unpredictable variations in daily weather, the province is currently experiencing better conditions compared to the previous year. Last year, the province faced its most severe wildfire season on record, resulting in the burning of 1.45 million hectares (3.6 million acres).
The Donnie Creek fire in northern British Columbia burned an area of over 571,000 hectares. The unprecedented inferno was one of the 100 fires that persisted until December. According to officials, the current fire season is consistent with the average of the past 10 years, which typically results in the burning of 300,000 hectares by autumn.
Major cities in Alberta were covered in dense smoke from over 150 fires, leading to air quality alerts. Authorities report that a total of 7,500 individuals have been instructed to evacuate.
There are currently close to 900 active fires occurring throughout the country, with 352 of them categorised as being out of control.
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