Sustained rain needed to end wildfire season

Smoke over capital region expected to start clearing today

INVERMERE — Hundreds of homes have burned and nearly half a billion dollars has been spent, but officials say there’s no end in sight for British Columbia’s devastating wildfire season.

Kevin Skrepnek of the B.C. Wildfire Service said Wednesday that many areas of the province are still tinder dry and in desperate need of rain.

The forecast is calling for showers across the province in the coming days, but Skrepnek said that won’t be enough to douse the flames, especially in the southeastern part of B.C.

“A sprinkle of rain is only going to provide temporary relief. We need a long, sustained soaking of rain right across the province,” he said.

More than 1,200 wildfires have sparked across the province since April 1, charring 11,500 square kilometres of land.

Wildfires have also prompted officials to close off hiking trails and parks, but the prohibitions haven’t kept all adventurers out of danger.

Columbia Valley RCMP Sgt. Bob Vatamaniuk said a hiker was plucked from a trail in Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park in the southeastern corner of the province when he encountered a wall of flames. The man was airlifted to safety by a helicopter crew working on the nearby wildfire.

Meanwhile, the smoky air in Greater Victoria caused by the fires in the B.C. Interior and Washington state should start to clear today. Environment Canada is forecasting that a change in weather patterns will bring moist, cool air from the Pacific, pushing the wildfire smoke eastward.

DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST Willows Beach and the entire capital region were decked out in 50 shades of grey on Wednesday as thick smoke from wildfires in the B.C. Interior and Washington state cast a pall over the region for a second day. Environment Canada forecasts that the...