LADYSMITH, B.C. — Crews are fighting dozens of wildfires as a heat wave scorches British Columbia, including two blazes near the urban centres of Nanaimo and Sechelt.
Officials in Ladysmith, B.C. say crews contained a 20-hectare grass fire south of Nanaimo on Thursday night and are working to clear the area of embers.
At least four homes had been evacuated and all were allowed to return home Friday morning, but are still on alert should the blaze flare up again.
Marg Drysdale of the B.C. Wildfire Service says a blaze about 10 kilometres northeast of Sechelt has grown to eight hectares.
She says crews don't know the cause yet and are asking people to stay away from the area near an abandoned mine.
Drysdale says there is a cell tower about two kilometres from the fire, but at this time crews don't believe the blaze threatens any structures.
