With warm weather comes increased wildfire risk across Southern Interior

KAMLOOPS – It's just a few days until we officially enter summer, but temperatures in the Southern Interior are ahead of the game, and that could mean increased fire activity in the region.

Environment Canada has forecast above-seasonal temperatures for Kamloops and the Okanagan this week, with most days looking at 30 C or higher.

Doug Lundquist, meteorologist with Environment Canada, says June is typically the rainiest month of the year with an average of roughly 37 millimetres of precipitation, and more than halfway through this month, there's been roughly 20 millimetres. 

He's concerned the Southern Interior won't get the typical monsoon rains June usually receives, especially with a dry spell in the forecast.

"The bigger issue in the weather right now is coming up with weather in the mid 30s, and usually this time of year there's only a day or two of 30 C and then rain," he says.

B.C. Wildfire Service is also concerned about the upcoming heat wave, but fire information officer Brenna Ward says crews are prepared for increased fire activity.

"We are moving into a warming trend at the moment," she says. "It definitely will raise fire activity in the Kamloops Fire Centre.”

Ward says low temperatures and rain at the beginning of the month has helped mitigate some of the fire risk, but because of the hot streak coming up, it may not matter.

"Because of this hot and dry weather, it could potentially undo what those early month rains did for us," Ward says.

B.C. Wildfire crews are keeping a close eye on this weekend, hoping for some more June rains before the month ends.

Category 2 and Category 3 fire restrictions are currently in place across the Kamloops Fire Centre, which means open burning is not permitted, although half-metre-by-half-metre campfires are allowed.

Tiki torches aren't allowed, fireworks aren't allowed and any type of explosive is prohibited, Ward says.

Most of the fires B.C. Wildfire responds to are human caused, she says, which means they could be prevented.

Go here to learn what a human-caused wildfire is, and how they can be unintentionally caused.

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