Lightning sparks six wildfires in Thompson-Okanagan

VERNON – An active thunderstorm ignited six new fires in the Kamloops Fire Centre overnight, but none are immediately threatening, the BC Wildfire Service said.

Fire information officer Taylor MacDonald confirmed the new wildfires Sunday, Sept. 8.

“With the storm that rolled through, we have about six new fires,” MacDonald said. “We’re working on action plans so that crews can safely access the fires.”

According to MacDonald, the cool and rainy weather that followed the storm is beneficial for mitigating fire growth, but it can create difficulty in accessing remote locations. None of the thunderstorm-caused fires are threatening any nearby communities.

“They’re all expected to be about spot-sized,” MacDonald said, noting that they can’t confirm the size until crews can better access the fires.

Environment Canada predicts that the rain will continue until giving way to cloudy but dry skies Wednesday. The thunderstorm risk persists Sunday.

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• Rain, cool weather should help slow Okanagan wildfires

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