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The Cariboo Regional District has issued an order covering 38 parcels of land in a roughly 160-square- kilometre area around Anahim Peak, northeast of Bella Coola.
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Published Jul 16, 2023 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 2 minute read
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Wildfires in British Columbia have prompted more than 70 current evacuation alerts or orders, with many clustered in the province’s central Interior.
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The Cariboo Regional District has issued an order covering 38 parcels of land in a roughly 160-square-kilometre area around Anahim Peak, northeast of Bella Coola.
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That’s on top of an order issued Friday spanning nearly 3,340 square kilometres in the Lhoosk’uz area, west of Quesnel, and several others in the region.
Meanwhile, Environment Canada has posted severe thunderstorm bulletins for a swath of the central Interior, saying conditions are favourable for the development of storms that may be capable of producing strong winds, heavy rain and hail.
The weather office continues to warn of smoky skies and reduced visibility throughout central and eastern B.C. from the Yukon boundary to the Kootenays.
With more than 370 wildfires burning in B.C., the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre says the province has the greatest number of blazes across the country.
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B.C.’s drought bulletin shows widespread drought conditions, and fire danger rating is ranked at high to extreme across much of the province.
The Transportation Ministry has warned drivers not to pull over and stop to take pictures of wildfires, saying it’s “very unsafe” to do so.
A statement posted to Facebook says ministry staff have heard reports of people stopping along highways, especially Highway 16 between Prince Rupert and Prince George, a route where several “wildfires of note” are burning nearby.
There are 20 highly visible, threatening or potentially damaging blazes burning in B.C., many of which are clustered in the Bulkley-Nechako and Cariboo regions.
Meanwhile, a firefighter has died while battling a wildfire near his home community in the Northwest Territories.
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The territorial government issued a statement saying the firefighter from Fort Liard died from an injury sustained while battling a nearby blaze on Saturday afternoon.
Wildfire Information Officer Jessica Davey-Quantick says the firefighter was involved in combating a fire that started July 7 in the Fort Liard District and is currently about 11 kilometres southwest of the town.
She says no other information about the firefighter will be provided until family members have been notified.
His death follows that of another Canadian battling wildfires — Devyn Gale died Thursday after police say she was killed by a falling tree near Revelstoke.
B.C. wildfires on the rise amid drought, federal help on the way
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