Since April 1, 2023, 1,866 wildfires have burned about 1.73 million hectares of land in B.C. There are currently 379 active fires burning across the province.
Fire crews and incident management teams continue their work on significant complexes throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre and on the Kookipi Creek wildfire, with support from aviation and structure protection resources. On Monday, smoke continued to impact the ability for aviation resources to access fires, but improved visibility is expected in the days ahead.
There are more than 3,500 personnel directly engaged in wildfire response efforts across the province. This week, 100 additional personnel from Mexico will arrive to support local firefighting efforts followed by 200 South African personnel next weekend. Australia is once again stepping up to support with 18 specialized single resources. Over 100 local fire departments are assisting in structure protection efforts across the province.
Weather
Cooler temperatures and decreased relative humidity are helping to dampen fire activity today, and could be accompanied by measurable precipitation in the Southeast and Kamloops Fire Centres. Wind patterns may begin to reverse in the Okanagan, impacted by sub-tropical moisture off Hurricane Hilary moving westward.
Tomorrow, additional precipitation is in the forecast with the potential for thunderstorms. Temperatures are dipping below seasonal in the south but conditions are forecast to remain warm and dry in the northern half of the province. This pattern will likely pull smoke out of the Southern and Central Interior.