Dozens of new wildfires were confirmed in B.C. on Friday, and fire officials don’t expect much relief in the days to come. Between 2,500 and 3,000 people are currently on firelines or assisting in aircraft throughout the province.
B.C. Wildfire Service’s (BCW) Cliff Chapman said in a teleconference Friday that he knew of 70 new fires sparked on Canada Day alone. One factor is the roughly 12,000 lightning strikes reported in the province that day, many of which were near communities including Kamloops.
As for the devastating wildfire that raged through the village of Lytton, as of Friday, B.C. RCMP senior communications officer Staff Sgt. Janelle Shoihet said getting into Lytton remains an obstacle due to hazards such as toxic smoke.
Shoihet said the RCMP will be conducting a thorough grid search once it is safe to do so. A coroners’ team has been assigned to the village, but like the RCMP, they have not yet entered the area due to unsafe conditions.
As of Friday evening, Emergency Management BC said about 1,360 homes were under an evacuation order as of Friday afternoon, and another 950 homes are under alerts, meaning those residents have to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.
Fire officials are saying more fires are expected, meaning more evacuations are possible due to the tinder-dry conditions, and the possibility of more lightning.
Approximately 79,000 hectares (195,213 acres) of B.C. has burned already this wildfire season, and fire officials say it may likely be a long season of fighting wildfires.
Just hours after the above image was acquired, officials ordered a mandatory evacuation for Lytton as fire threatened the town. The fast-moving blaze quickly engulfed the town, destroying homes and injuring residents. The fire affecting Lytton was reportedly a new fire, and not the George Road fire already burning south of the town.
