Wildfires rage far ahead of normal pace

While Sunday marked the first official day of summer, it’s already felt a lot like summer in much of B.C., and hot, dry weather is expected to continue this week, along with a busy wildfire season.

So far this year, 62,601 hectares have burned in wildfires, nearly four times the 10-year average of around 16,000 hectares for this time of year, said B.C. Wildfire Management Board spokesman Ryan Turcot.

Most of that is attributed to two large fires in northern B.C. In all, crews have responded to 494 fires this year, which is above average, but “not entirely unprecedented,” Turcot said.

“The increase we’re seeing is entirely due to the abnormally high amount of lightning caused fires this year,” Turcot said.

Dry conditions have combined with a high number of lightning strikes, he said, and the year-to-date total of 222 lightning-caused fires is more than double the 10-year average.

As of Sunday afternoon, 61 wildfires were actively burning across the province. In the Elaho Valley, about 65 kilometres west of Pemberton, crews had contained about 30 per cent of a 700-hectare fire.

On Vancouver Island, a sixhectare wildfire was reported Saturday about 20 kilometres west of Nanaimo.

Turcot said 21 firefighters and two helicopters are fighting the blaze, which was uncontained on Sunday.

Environment Canada meteorologist David Jones said there’s no relief in sight from the weather there on Vancouver Island. “We’re looking at a long dry spell,” Jones said.

Temperatures are expected to climb across B.C. over the coming week. While it should be relatively comfortable and pleasant on the south coast, the Interior could be “sweltering” and “uncomfortably hot,” Jones said, with highs of 38 degrees forecast for Osoyoos by next weekend.

Based on historical data, an average June in Osoyoos would have five days above 30 degrees. But this June, with nine days already surpassing the 30-degree mark, the town will “easily double” and possibly triple that average.

Jones said they could not predict how much wildfire activity is ahead, but he noted that if hot, dry weather continues it could “set the stage” for a busy forest fire season.