The latest on wildfires:
- The number of active wildfires in BC rose to more than 400 after thunderstorms over the weekend.
- Dozens more properties are on evacuation alert due to wildfires near Adams Lake, northeast of Kamloops, BC
- TO smoky skies bulletin remains in effect for Nelson, central and southern Interior, and southeastern BC
- Evacuation orders remain in effect in BC, including at Adams Lake and Gun Lake, and north of Lytton.
- After a month, the state of emergency in the Stikine region of northwest BC ended over the weekend.
- As of 6 am PT, there are currently 416 active fires in BC, with 16 notable fires, fires that are highly visible or threaten public safety.
- Learn more about how to find the complete list of wildfires, road closures, and evacuation orders and alerts.
The BC Wildfire Service says thunderstorms over the long weekend caused a spike in fire activity across the province, bringing the total number of active wildfires to more than 400.
The service said there were 416 active fires as of Tuesday, including 34 new starts in the past 24 hours. Sixteen of the total are prominent fires.
Covering roughly the northeastern quarter of the province, Prince George’s Fire Center still has the most fires at 143, followed by Southeast Fire Center with 86, Northwest with 75, Kamloops Fire Centers and Coastal with 43 and the Cariboo with 26.
New evacuation alert near Adams Lake
As of Monday, more inland BC properties are on evacuation alert due to wildfires near Adams Lake.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District said 85 properties are on alert due to the Bush Creek East wildfire.
The regional district also closed a jetty to keep recreational boaters out of the water so planes can work unhindered as flames burn on both sides of the lake. Conservation officers and the RCMP are on patrol to make sure boaters don’t get in the way.
Both the Thompson-Nicola and Columbia Shuswap regional districts have evacuation orders in effect due to wildfires burning on opposite sides of Adams Lake: the Lower East Adams Lake and Bush Creek East fires.
CLOCK | Forest fire in the south of the Interior causes the evacuation of the festival:
A wildfire forced hundreds of people to evacuate from the Under the Stars Music Festival near Princeton, BC. The fire broke out on Sunday night and is suspected to be caused by humans.
Meanwhile, a wildfire near Princeton, BC, forced the evacuation of a music festival attended by some 1,000 people over the long weekend.
The Rice Road wildfire, about 7 miles northwest of Princeton, prompted RCMP and fire crews to evacuate the Music Under the Stars Festival on Sunday.
RCMP said the fire started Sunday when an all-terrain vehicle caught fire near the town of Coalmont, about 12 miles northwest of Princeton.
The service said the fire, which is less than a square kilometer in size, is visible from Princeton and surrounding areas, but does not threaten any buildings. Mounties said no one was hurt.
State of emergency for Stikine rescinded
In the northwest, the province ended a state of emergency for the sparsely populated region of Stikine on Monday, rescinding all evacuation orders and alerts in the region as “people and structures are no longer at risk from wildfires.” .
The state of emergency had been in effect for a month, with evacuation orders for areas affected by the Little Blue River wildfire.
Anyone with an evacuation order must leave the area immediately.
Evacuation centers have been set up across the province to help anyone evacuating a community threatened by a bushfire.
To find the center closest to you, visit the BC Emergency Management website.
Evacuees are encouraged to register with emergency support services online, whether or not they access services at an evacuation center.
Have a story to share?
If you were affected by the BC wildfires and would like to share your story, please email cbcnewsvancouver@cbc.ca.
