“It will take almost nothing to start a fire,” says the fire chief of West Kelowna
THE LATEST:
- Northwest Territories hospital and nursing home patients will be moved to B.C.
- A cold front is expected to move through southern B.C. on Thursday. This is likely to bring strong winds that will make it hard for firefighters to do their jobs.
- The next 24 to 48 hours could be “the most challenging of the summer,” says the wildfire service.
- At 11 a.m. PT, officials are going to talk about the wildfires, heat, and drought in the whole province.
- Due to the McDougall Creek wildfire in the Okanagan Valley, 4,800 homes and businesses near West Kelowna have been told to leave.
- Due to the Crater Creek wildfire southwest of Keremeos, 12 properties have been told to leave and 74 have been put on alert. This is in the southern Interior.
- The Lower East Adams Lake wildfire northeast of Kamloops has caused the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District to warn more people to leave their homes.
- Find out how to find a full list of wildfires, closed highways, and evacuation orders and alerts.
The fire chief for one of the most populated cities in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia is worried that the strong winds that are expected on Thursday will make a nearby wildfire spread.
Late on Wednesday, Central Okanagan Emergency Operations told the owners of 4,800 properties in West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation, and part of the Central Okanagan West Electoral Area to leave their homes.
The alert is because of the wildfire at McDougall Creek, which was found on Tuesday. It is now 64 hectares in size and is burning out of control 10 kilometers northwest of West Kelowna.
West Kelowna’s fire chief, Jason Brolund, is worried about how the wind will affect the area on Thursday afternoon.
“You know, it started small, like all fires do, but I think by the end of today we’ll be looking at a much bigger fire right behind our community, and that’s what we’re worried about,” he said.
West Kelowna has 36,000 people living there.
WATCH | A forecaster from the B.C. Wildfire Service talks about why people are worried about possible new fires:
Significant 48 hour
At 11 a.m. PT, Bowinn Ma, the Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, and Bruce Ralston, the Minister of Forests, held a news conference with other provincial officials to talk about wildfires, drought, and heat in the province.
Cliff Chapman, who is in charge of the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS), said, “This is going to be a big 48 hours.”
The service is “very concerned” about the next few days because conditions are right for wildfires to spread quickly.
Neal McLoughlin, a BCWS forecaster, says that people should be ready to leave their homes all over the province, especially in the south and interior.
In a video released by the provincial firefighting agency on Wednesday, McLoughlin says that this week’s record-high temperatures, which reached above 40 C in some places, along with the high winds and dry lightning that are expected for Thursday and Friday have turned much of the province into a tinderbox, making it very easy for new fires to start and spread.
“You may have noticed that your lawn is turning brown, which is a sign of fall. You may also have noticed that some deciduous trees are already turning yellow,” he said.
“These plants are going through a severe drought and have more fuel to burn than they normally would at this time of year.”
Environment Canada has issued special weather statements for most of the province’s interior, including the Cariboo, Chilcotin, Okanagan, Thompson-Nicola, and Kootenays, because a cold front is moving into the province and will bring unstable weather and strong winds.
Wind gusts of up to 70 km/h, dry lightning, and continued heat could cause or make wildfires worse, the agency says. Drought-stricken trees are more likely to catch fire and fall over if there is a fire or dry lightning.
Under these conditions, a big fire could “quickly change directions,” says McLoughlin. “The side of the fire could quickly become the front, and a big fire could spread across the landscape very quickly.”
Provincial officials will be providing an update on weather conditions at 11 a.m. PT.
In West Kelowna, Brolund said drought conditions, a dry landscape and the wind will combine for a threatening outlook.
“It will take literally nothing to get a fire started on a day like we’re going to have today,” he said.
Other orders, alert
Meanwhile, the Crater Creek wildfire southwest of Keremeos continues to burn over an area of 100 square kilometres.
It led to the evacuation of more than 100 people in the southern Interior, near the U.S. border. Twelve properties remain on evacuation order due to the fire, and 74 are on evacuation alert.
Around 1,000 properties in the Kootenays are also on evacuation alert due to several fires burning near the communities of Panorama, Radium Hot Springs and Sparwood.
They include the Horsethief Creek wildfire burning around 10 kilometres west of Invermere, a fire of note that is currently almost 40 square kilometres in size.
The Columbia-Shuswap Regional District has also expanded evacuation alerts due to the Lower East Adams Lake wildfire northeast of Kamloops.
The BCWS says it was close to lifting evacuation orders covering more than 200 properties around Gun Lake, north of Pemberton, where the 26-square-kilometre Downton Lake fire has destroyed three properties, but those plans have been stalled because of the incoming wind and potential lightning.
As of Thursday morning, there were 371 active wildfires burning in B.C., with 14 of those being wildfires of note — meaning they are particularly visible or threatening to properties.
More than 16,000 square kilometres of land has burned in 2023 so far, making it the worst wildfire season on record.
More stories on wildfires and heat:
- More than 100 people trapped in a guesthouse by a wildfire south of Kelowna were rescued Wednesday.
- The Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C. says there has been an uptick in the number of calls and admissions of animals affected by this week’s extreme temperatures.
- The stress of knowing wildfires could force you from your home is understandable, mental health experts say, but there are tips to help you manage it.
- Disinformation researchers warns wildfires provide a unique opportunity for rumours and conspiracy theories to spread by tapping into people’s fear and emotions.
- Get the news you need without restrictions. Download our free CBC News App.
Anyone placed under an evacuation order should leave the area immediately.
Evacuation centres have been set up throughout the province to assist anyone evacuating from a community under threat from a wildfire.
To find the centre closest to you, visit the EmergencyInfoBC website.
Evacuees are encouraged to register with Emergency Support Services online, whether or not they access services at an evacuation centre.
Do you have a story to share
If you’ve been affected by the B.C. wildfires and want to share your story, email [email protected].