Wet weather helps fire fight in B.C.’s south, while the north remains warm and dry

Wet weather is helping firefighters in British Columbia tackle some of the wildfires burning in the south of the province.

An update from the BC Wildfire Service says the southern half of the province is seeing cooler temperatures with rainy conditions pushing inland from the coast and that the increase in relative humidity is helping ease fire behaviour.

The statement says there is the potential for widespread thunderstorm activity across the central Interior, though any lightning strikes are expected to be accompanied by rain.

In the north, the statement says warm, dry conditions remain and people should be mindful of activities that could spark a new wildfire because the area will be susceptible to new ignitions.

The wildfire service says two helicopters were called in to help fight the Corya Creek wildfire about seven kilometres northwest of the Witset First Nation in northwest British Columbia.

The service says the fire is burning on steep terrain that is not safe for ground crews, and while a structure defense plan is being developed as a precaution, it says there is currently no threat to the community or nearby infrastructure.

As of Sunday, the wildfire service listed 371 active fires in the province, including 13 that started in the last 24 hours.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 18, 2024.