Crews battling huge wildfires across B.C. are bracing for a tough week as the hot and dry conditions are replaced by an unstable air mass bringing a menacing forecast of wind and thunderstorms.
By Wednesday, a significant change in the weather is expected as lightning strikes and winds move into some regions where large uncontained wildfires are burning.
Temperatures in parts of the Interior are expected to hit 36 C by Tuesday, but after that the high-pressure ridge is expected to break down and there is a 60-per-cent chance of rain in the forecast.
But Environment Canada meteorologist Jennifer Hay said if there is some rain, it will likely be around five millimetres on Wednesday and one or two mm on Thursday.
鈥淚nto Wednesday we will see showers with a chance of thunderstorms,鈥� Hay said. 鈥淭he rain is probably not going to be enough to help the forest fire situation.鈥�
Even more concerning for fire officials is the wind that is expected, as the unstable system moves through much of the province. 鈥淲ith an unstable system you get gusty winds,鈥� Hay said.
(The Environment Canada forecast for Greater Victoria on Tuesday and Wednesday is for cloudy skies, with a chance of afternoon showers, and highs of around 22 C to 23 C.)
Once the unstable system blows through B.C., Hay said, she expects another high to blanket the region with more hot and dry weather.
The largest fire in the province is the 88,600-hectare Chelaslie River blaze, in a remote area south of Burns Lake. The blaze is being fought by 218 firefighters, 19 helicopters and 20 piences of heavy equipment.
Hay said reports of heavy smoke were coming in Sunday from areas near West Kelowna and Peachland.
About 85 firefighters continue to battle the Drought Hill forest fire in the West Kelowna-Peachland area. The 40-hectare fire is about 25-per-cent contained. One family had been under an evacuation order that was downgraded to an evacuation alert.
Fire officials have asked local boaters to stay away from sections of Okanagan Lake where firefighting aircraft take on water.
West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater said with the Smith Creek evacuation still fresh in their minds, the forecast of wind and lightning is worrisome.
While he feels fire crews have done an excellent job of containing the Drought Hill fire, it could all change with the forecast winds by mid-week.
鈥淭he only thing that can change things here is the wind,鈥� Findlater said. 鈥淚t is not good news,鈥� he added of the possibility of gusty winds and lightning by Wednesday.
He added that a forecast for high temperatures in the mid-30s starting Monday in the Okanagan 鈥渋s very concerning.鈥�
Findlater praised the work of the firefighters who have kept West Kelowna and Peachland safe. 鈥淭hese guys work very, very hard in unbelievable conditions,鈥� he said.
He said it鈥檚 believed the Drought Hill fire was likely caused by a cigarette butt thrown out of a car.
In the Prince George region, firefighters are making progress on the fires in the area.
Prince George Fire Centre information officer Susie Lassek said that despite the ongoing fires, air quality is not an issue. 鈥淎ir quality is quite good today,鈥� she said Sunday.
But the hotter weather predicted for the Prince George region may create some problems, she said.
鈥淲e may also see some lightning strikes, possibly Wednesday and Thursday,鈥� Lassek said. 鈥淭hunderstorms, of course, are a huge concern.鈥�
With resources and manpower being stretched to the limit, additional fire crews from Ontario and Quebec were called in. An air tanker crew from Alberta was in Prince George last week equipped with four amphibious skimmers, one bird dog aircraft and an air attack officer.
Provincial fire information officer Navi Saini said that along with the various crews from across Canada, two crews from Australia are helping with the battle.
The 80 highly specialized Australians are being sent to Prince George and Kamloops to deal with the fires this week. 鈥淲ith such high fire activity, we have really stretched our resources,鈥� said Saini.
She said across the province there are 197 active wildfires, with nine of those problematic. 鈥淩ight now, no homes or structures are threatened,鈥� she said.
Saini stressed that the public needs to stay out of any fire zones where fire retardant and water are being spread from the air.
Since April this year, B.C. has had 1,081 wildfires, while in 2013 the province for the entire year had 1,133. About $161.7 million has been spent fighting the fires so far this year, while at this time last year the figure was $86.9 million.
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Major B.C. fires
Chelaslie River
Location: Approximately 7 km south of the Chelaslie River
Discovered: Tuesday, July 8
Size: 88,600.0 hectares
Evacuation Order is in effect.
Resources
鈥� 218 firefighters
鈥� 19 helicopters
鈥� 20 heavy equipment
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Euchiniko Lakes
Location: 120km west of Quesnel
Discovered: Tuesday, July 8,
Size: 10,500.0 hectares
鈥� 56 firefighters
鈥� 2 heavy equipment
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Forres Mountain
Location: 50 km Northwest of Williston Lake
Discovered: June 2
Size: 24,000 hectares
Resources
鈥� 11 firefighters
鈥� 1 helicopters
鈥� 4 heavy equipment
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Mount McAllister
56 km west of Chetwynd
Discovered: Sunday, July 13
Size: 16,000 hectares
Resources
鈥� 104 firefighters
鈥� 13 helicopters
鈥� 14 heavy equipment
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Tenakihi 鈥� Mesilinka Complex
Location: 50 km west of Williston Lake
Discovered: July 8
Size: 53,227 hectares
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Drought Hill
Location: North of Hwy 97C, west of Peachland
Size: 40 hectares
Resources
鈥� 40 firefighters
鈥� 1 helicopters
鈥� 2 heavy equipment
Source: B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources.
