Close X
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
ADVT 
National

Rain across B.C. Interior aids wildfire fight in Okanagan, Shuswap and Fraser Canyon

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 31 Aug, 2023 09:41 AM
  • Rain across B.C. Interior aids wildfire fight in Okanagan, Shuswap and Fraser Canyon

Widespread rain in the forecast today throughout much of British Columbia's southern Interior is expected to aid firefighters pushing back against a number of major wildfires in the region.

The Columbia Shuswap Regional District says while cooler weather brought winds that may increase fire behaviour at the Bush Creek East blaze near Chase, the rain is "creating conditions for firefighters to increase their attack" on the fire now measuring 431 square kilometres.

Environment Canada weather radar showed light-to-medium precipitation was falling this morning from Merritt to Salmon Arm, stretching over parts of the Fraser Canyon, Central Okanagan and Shuswap regions.

Forecasts call for showers to continue until at least noon for communities including Kelowna, Lytton and Salmon Arm, all adjacent to major wildfires that have forced evacuation orders.

The cool, wet weather has already tempered blazes such as McDougall Creek in the Central Okanagan, Ross Moore Lake south of Kamloops and the Kookipi Creek fire near Lytton.

Officials in both the Thompson-Nicola and the Fraser Valley regional districts downgraded a number of evacuation orders linked to the Kookipi Creek wildfire to alerts yesterday, with the BC Wildfire Service saying some parts of the fire received up to 16 millimetres of rain.

Evacuation orders were also downgraded to alerts in the Bear Creek Road area of West Kelowna in relations to the McDougall Creek fire, as well as in Turtle Valley in the Thompson-Nicola region close to the Bush Creek East blaze.

In addition, previous alerts for residents to be prepared for evacuation on short notice have been outright cancelled in parts of Westbank First Nation and the Boucherie Industrial Area in the Central Okanagan.

The BC Wildfire Service website shows 422 active fires across the province, with 195 burning out of control and 12 listed as "fires of note" due to their high visibility or potential threat to the public.

This year's record wildfire season has already burned 19,111 square kilometres of land in B.C., with 72 per cent of the more than 2,000 fires recorded so far being triggered by lightning.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Indian man admits smuggling people from his country into US via Canada

Indian man admits smuggling people from his country into US via Canada
A 40-year-old Indian national living in Canada has pleaded guilty to smuggling several Indian nationals from Canada into the US for profit. Simranjit 'Shally' Singh admitted to six counts of alien smuggling and three counts of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling during an appearance in Albany, New York on Friday.  

Indian man admits smuggling people from his country into US via Canada

Mom in B.C. Amber Alert charged with abduction after children found safe in Alberta

Mom in B.C. Amber Alert charged with abduction after children found safe in Alberta
Police arrested two adults and detained a third during the recovery of the missing children, and the two arrested individuals — the children's 45-year-old mother and her 53-year-old boyfriend — have been charged with variations of different abduction charges.

Mom in B.C. Amber Alert charged with abduction after children found safe in Alberta

Youngster dies after tree falls at provincial campsite in B.C.'s Okanagan region

Youngster dies after tree falls at provincial campsite in B.C.'s Okanagan region
A child has been killed in British Columbia while visiting a provincial park in the Okanagan, south of Peachland. The age of the victim was not released and BC Parks hasn't said what might have caused the tree to come down.  

Youngster dies after tree falls at provincial campsite in B.C.'s Okanagan region

RCMP say six people killed in small plane crash west of Calgary

RCMP say six people killed in small plane crash west of Calgary
The identity of the victims have not been released, and the cause of the crash isn't yet known. RCMP Staff Sgt. Ryan Singleton told reporters at a news conference in Canmore, Alta., that all of the people on board the plane were on their way to a church function.

RCMP say six people killed in small plane crash west of Calgary

Winds play key role as wildfire continues to threaten Osoyoos, B.C.

Winds play key role as wildfire continues to threaten Osoyoos, B.C.
Winds will likely be a major factor in the battle to save the southern British Columbia town of Osoyoos from a raging wildfire, but the latest forecast offers some hope. Environment Canada is calling for northwest winds through the day before gusts of 20 kilometres per hour ease late in the day.

Winds play key role as wildfire continues to threaten Osoyoos, B.C.

Breakthrough in B.C. port dispute as new tentative deal is reached

Breakthrough in B.C. port dispute as new tentative deal is reached
A late-night breakthrough could herald an end to British Columbia's long-running port dispute, with the longshore workers' union and the employers' association announcing a new tentative agreement. Details of the deal haven't been released, but both sides say in a joint statement issued Sunday night that they are recommending their members to ratify it.

Breakthrough in B.C. port dispute as new tentative deal is reached