Thursday, March 28, 2024
ADVT 
National

Crews battle grass fire west of Kamloops, B.C., as dry conditions continue

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 06 Jun, 2019 06:05 PM

    More firefighters are expected to arrive in an area west of Kamloops, B.C., to help contain an aggressive wildfire that scorched a square kilometre of grassland, sage and bush within hours.

    The blaze, which is believed to have been started by humans, broke out near Savona Wednesday, severing Highway 1 between Kamloops and Cache Creek

    Crews were able to reopen the highway after the flames responded well to suppression efforts.

    Several aircraft were assigned to the fire Wednesday, but strong and gusty winds complicated the work.

    At one point, the flames had burned below power lines cutting electricity to about 400 customers, but the BC Hydro website shows power was restored within hours.

    Environment Canada reports a "precipitation deficit" in the Kamloops area after an extremely dry spring and even the five to 10 millimetres of rain expected across the region this weekend won't be enough to erase the parched conditions.

    Forecaster Matt MacDonald says last month was the seventh warmest May in the region since 1893, while Kamloops only saw 64 per cent of normal precipitation for the month — the third dry month in a row.

    “We're sitting about 50 millimetres short of normal rainfall amounts. The spring, as a whole, was very dry,” MacDonald says.

    “There's just such a significant precipitation deficit for the first part of the year for most of the Southern Interior."

    After weekend showers pass through MacDonald says hot, dry conditions are forecast to return with temperatures in the low 30s expected to last for a week or more.

    June rains are common in British Columbia and the wildfire service says moisture in June is the key to keeping the forest fire risk in check through July and August.

    There are currently no burning bans in the Kamloops or southeast, but campfires are banned in one zone of the northeast.

    Open fires larger than a campfire are restricted in the Coastal, Cariboo, Northwest and Prince George fire centres.

     

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Endangered right whale found dead in Gulf of St. Lawrence, feds hope to test

    Fisheries and Oceans Canada says the carcass was discovered during a surveillance flight.

    Endangered right whale found dead in Gulf of St. Lawrence, feds hope to test

    Police should be part of mental health strategy: B.C. death review panel

    Police should be part of mental health strategy: B.C. death review panel
    The aim of the review is to determine how deaths in similar circumstances could be prevented.

    Police should be part of mental health strategy: B.C. death review panel

    Search suspended for Calgary man swept away in fast-moving B.C. river

    Search suspended for Calgary man swept away in fast-moving B.C. river
    Cpl. Madonna Saunderson says jet boats and aircraft had been assisting searchers who were on the ground.

    Search suspended for Calgary man swept away in fast-moving B.C. river

    Penticton, B.C., approves ban on sitting, lying, on some downtown sidewalks

    Penticton, B.C., approves ban on sitting, lying, on some downtown sidewalks
    Penticton council voted 5-2 to approve an amendment to the Good Neighbourhood Bylaw, giving police and bylaw officers the power to hand out $100 fines.

    Penticton, B.C., approves ban on sitting, lying, on some downtown sidewalks

    Department of Fisheries to test for harmful virus at B.C. fish farms

    Department of Fisheries to test for harmful virus at B.C. fish farms
    Jonathan Wilkinson said the screening for Icelandic and Norwegian strains of piscine orthoreovirus, or PRV, at B.C. aquaculture sites is part of a proposed risk management policy that aims to protect wild salmon and the health of farmed fish.

    Department of Fisheries to test for harmful virus at B.C. fish farms

    Trudeau says carbon tax can help deal with extreme weather, Alberta fires

    Trudeau said Canadians are seeing the impact of climate change with an increase in wildfires in Western Canada, recent tornadoes in Ottawa and flooding across the country this spring.

    Trudeau says carbon tax can help deal with extreme weather, Alberta fires