Close X
Thursday, November 14, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C. wildfire tally surges as firefighters take to air to battle blazes

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 24 Jul, 2024 10:11 AM
  • B.C. wildfire tally surges as firefighters take to air to battle blazes

The numbers seem ever increasing for British Columbia wildfire statistics, including more than 400 fires, tens of thousands of lightning strikes and at least six homes lost.

The homes were in the Venables Valley, and Colton Davies with the Thompson-Nicola Regional District says they were among 20 buildings destroyed by the Shetland Creek wildfire. 

The BC Wildfire Service says recent thunderstorms brought 58,000 lightning strikes, and they expect to see new fire starts from those over the next few days. 

More than 80 per cent of current wildfires were started by lightning and about two-thirds of the fires remain out of control. 

The wildfire service says local planes and helicopters as well as aircraft from the Yukon, Ontario, Quebec and Alaska have joined the fire fight, with almost 100 airtanker missions from July 18 to 21 dropping 5.4 million litres of suppressant.

People using bodies of water near out-of-control fires such as Shawnigan Lake adjacent to the Old Man Lake wildfire on Vancouver Island have been warned to "keep well away" from aircraft either skimming water or operating otherwise in the area.

The B.C. Ministry of Emergency Management says about 470 properties have been ordered evacuated, while another 3,100 properties are on alert. 

These are the facts about British Columbia's wildfire situation, according to the BC Wildfire Service dashboard at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Wildfires of note: Four. Shetland Creek fire, Kamloops Fire Centre; Antler Creek fire, Cariboo Fire Centre; Aylwin Creek fire, Southeast Fire Centre; Komonko Creek fire, Southeast Fire Centre.

Fires started in last 24 hours: 82

Out-of-control fires: 260

Active fire causes: Lightning 80 per cent, human 6 per cent, undetermined 14 per cent (percentages are rounded)

Firefighting staff deployed: 1,170

Aircraft deployed: 193

Area burned since April 1: 8,106 square kilometres 

MORE National ARTICLES

Uber says new B.C. rules will increase costs, Eby says companies can 'suck it up'

Uber says new B.C. rules will increase costs, Eby says companies can 'suck it up'
Uber issued a statement Thursday saying it supports some of the new rules coming in September, such as an increased minimum wage and health and safety coverage, but the amount it is being forced to pay workers for using a personal vehicle is "unreasonable."

Uber says new B.C. rules will increase costs, Eby says companies can 'suck it up'

B.C. politicians ask for audit of $3.86 billion North Shore water treatment plant

B.C. politicians ask for audit of $3.86 billion North Shore water treatment plant
A group of local politicians from B.C.'s Lower Mainland are asking the provincial auditor general to investigate how the cost of a wastewater treatment plant could balloon to $3.86 billion. The original cost of the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant in 2018 was $700 million and it was expected to open in 2020, but the Metro Vancouver regional district fired the contractor over construction delays in 2021. 

B.C. politicians ask for audit of $3.86 billion North Shore water treatment plant

Nanaimo man charged with gun offences

Nanaimo man charged with gun offences
The Canada Border Services Agency says a man from Nanaimo has been charged with nine counts of gun and drug-related offences. The agency says it launched an investigation after border officers inspected three firearm suppressors at the Vancouver airport between August and October 2022.

Nanaimo man charged with gun offences

Targeted shooting in Penticton

Targeted shooting in Penticton
Mounties in Penticton are asking for the public's help after a man was shot in the leg. They say officers responded to the call around 7 a-m yesterday, and the victim was brought to hospital.

Targeted shooting in Penticton

Attempted robbery at UBC

Attempted robbery at UBC
Mounties at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver are searching for a suspect after an attempted robbery with a weapon. Police say officers responded to an assault near the school's Rose Garden parking structure around 1:30 p-m yesterday, and found a victim suffering from non-life-threatening injuries.

Attempted robbery at UBC

Work pauses on Calgary water pipe after injuries; consumption continues to rise

Work pauses on Calgary water pipe after injuries; consumption continues to rise
Repairs to a fractured Calgary water pipe were paused Thursday after two workers were injured at the site, while the city's mayor pleaded with residents to step up their conservation efforts. Gondek said daily water use increased by another eight million litres on Wednesday.

Work pauses on Calgary water pipe after injuries; consumption continues to rise