Fire fears grow as South Coast faces prospect of rain-free July

There are increasing concerns astir occurrence consequence arsenic B.C. hits nan midpoint successful what is progressively looking for illustration a rain-free July.

“Little to nary successful nan past fewer weeks,” said Environment Canada meteorologist Chris Doyle, “And not overmuch to look guardant to either.”

Doyle said nan past measurable precipitation connected nan South Coast was July 1, and that nan imaginable of a no-rain period wasn’t retired of nan mobility astatine slightest for nan Lower Mainland.

The business successful nan Southern Interior and Southeast looks a small much unstable, but immoderate rainfall that falls will apt beryllium accompanied by thunderstorms, he said.

“We whitethorn want nan showers but we don’t want nan lightning part, truthful it’s really a mixed blessing,” he said.

“That’s nan benignant of spark we don’t need.”

As of Tuesday, virtually each of British Columbia was nether a occurrence threat standing of “High” aliases “Extreme.”

Environment Canada issued caller power warnings connected Tuesday for Howe Sound and Whistler successful nan southwest of nan province, bringing nan full to much than 20 crossed B.C. stretching heavy into nan Interior and up to Terrace successful nan north.

Heat warnings proceed for nan Fraser Canyon, Okanagan Valley, Williams Lake, Kootenay Lake, Cranbrook and elsewhere.

The upwind agency says daytime highs successful nan mid to precocious 30s are expected successful nan Fraser Canyon and Okanagan, while temperatures successful nan 30s are expected successful parts of nan southwest.

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The conditions person firefighters connected edge, but Assistant Surrey Fire Chief Darren Major said their biggest interest has to do pinch really group behave.

“Leaves aren’t going to spontaneously combust,” he said.

“It would beryllium mostly quality behaviours. We do spot small brushwood fires .. successful medians for example, discarded cigarettes from cars, group pinch campfires, it could beryllium embers.”

Major urged group to beryllium alert of nan existent consequence level and to return other precautions pinch immoderate ignition source, including smoking materials and cooking equipment.

Campfires, he added, are banned provincewide.

There were 150 wildfires progressive successful nan state connected Tuesday, pinch astir activity clustered successful nan Northeast and Central Interior.

Of those fires, much than half are considered nether control, while 37 per cent are retired of power and 10 per cent are being held.

— With files from Janet Brown