Wildfire season is proving tough to stamp out

PENTICTON – The wildfire season in British Columbia was winding down in the Kamloops Fire Centre earlier this week, but fire crews are facing wildfires with renewed vigour following a few days of sun and warmer temperatures.

Earlier this week, B.C. Wildfire Information Officer Brenna Ward said the current wildfire situation in the Kamloops Fire Centre was stable and trending downward.

“Fall seasonal weather has brought cooler temperatures, higher humidities and longer nights, and with this weather trend we’re seeing less aggressive behaviour, fewer starts and less fire growth,” Ward said.

But she also added that could change with a run of warm dry weather, which is exactly what happened.

Fire Information Officer Noelle Kekula says today, Sept. 6, it’s a warm day on the Snowy Mountain wildfire burning south of Keremeos, and fire crews are seeing renewed activity, along with poor visibility in the valley due to smoky conditions.

“We’re actually seeing activity on all fires,” she says, noting the past few days have dried things out.

Kekula says the Juliet wildfire, 47 kms southwest of Merritt was taken off the Wildfires of Note list, thanks to some recent rain.

The fire danger rating in the Kamloops fire zone varies from very low to moderate, with pockets of high to extreme ratings.

Kekula says a change in the weather starting on the weekend is anticipated to bring with it cooler temperatures and perhaps some precipitation. That would be a big relief to fire crews and may result in fire bans being lifted in some areas.

“It’s been a long season, and a lot of us are ready to go home, but we still have a job to do,” she says.

Currently there are six wildfires of note burning in the Kamloops Fire Centre.

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