B.C. wildfire officials welcome cooler weather but remain wary of ...

Chad Pawson · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 26, 2024 10:13 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

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The B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) says winds fanned by a cold front were to blame for the rapid growth of an out-of-control fire near Golden, but rain and cooler temperatures arriving for most of the province are expected to help reduce fire activity.

"The downturn in weather is favourable at reducing fire behaviour," the service said in a situation report posted Friday morning to its website, which also showed a notable reduction in fires burning in B.C. over the past day to 407, with 55 declared out in the past 24 hours.

Still, the service said a risk of thunderstorms across the Interior and strong gusts "may temporarily increase fire behaviour on existing incidents."

The Town of Golden says the 55-square-kilometre Dogtooth Forest Service Road fire destroyed six homes near the southeastern B.C. community on Thursday, but assessments are still being done to confirm the damage. 

WATCH | Footage from Golden shows wildfire destruction:

The West Kootenay community of Silverton remains on an evacuation order as the Aylwin Creek fire burns nearby, with Highway 6 remaining closed between New Denver and Slocan with no timeline for reopening.

Fire officials said winds associated with cooler weather are fanning those flames, too.

"It was responsible for significant growth on all of the wildfires in the area," said Claire Allen, BCWS deputy manager of wildfire prevention.

"These winds, as well as dry forest fuel conditions from a sustained drought, as well as sustained temperatures, combined as the main drive behind some of the aggressive growth that we saw."

Thursday night, the Thompson-Nicola Regional District issued evacuation orders and expanded alerts related to the Dunn Creek fire burning near Dunn Lake, about an hour's drive north of Kamloops.

The fire is now mapped at 12.6 square kilometres and is burning out of control.

Barkerville and the Bowron Lake area residents in B.C.'s Cariboo region are still on evacuation order but officials say firefighters have been helped by periods of rain.

There are close to 60 evacuation alerts and orders across the province, including in the Cariboo, where the 143-square-kilometre Antler Creek fire is threatening the communities of Wells and Barkerville.

WATCH | Firefighters try to stem aggressive wildfires in B.C.'s southeast:

There are some encouraging signs about the wildfire situation in B.C. as some orders and alerts are downgraded.

An evacuation order for the District of Wells was downgraded to an alert Thursday evening and residents are now able to return home. Officials are asking them to be prepared to leave if fire activity changes. 

The Cariboo Regional District also lifted evacuation orders and alerts for the Tatelkuz and Kluskuz Lake areas Thursday.

An evacuation alert has also been rescinded for the Village of Ashcroft, which was under threat from the Shetland Creek fire, the same blaze that has destroyed at least six homes in the Venables Valley.

Meanwhile the B.C. Wildfire Service said it has sent 17 firefighters and four fire engines to Alberta to help support Parks Canada and the Jasper Fire Department as a massive wildfire that destroyed part of the townsite continues to burn in the area.