Out-of-province aid coming for B.C. as wildfire risk increases due to the heat
VANCOUVER — A hot, dry forecast for the long weekend has prompted the BC Wildfire Service to warn residents of the high potential for evacuation orders, a day after announcing out-of-province firefighting assistance is en route to British Columbia.
The wildfire service sent the warning Saturday morning, saying much of the province was dealing with intense wildfires that would likely continue due to the weather, and residents need to be ready to leave as soon as an evacuation is ordered.
Kyla Fraser of the BC Wildfire Service said the Okanagan region is seeing the most activity resulting in evacuation alerts, though two newer wildfires broke out in the Bulkley-Nechako regional district this week prompting evacuation orders.
“Those would be the two highest priority areas — the Northwest Fire Centre, and the Kamloops Fire Centre,” said Fraser from Kamloops, B.C., about 900 kilometres southeast of the Northwest Fire Centre in Smithers, B.C.