â–ş Listen Live
â–ş Listen Live

Calmer weather contributes to decrease in BC Wildfires

Small, but steady progress has been made in combatting BC wildfires in the Northern Interior and Cariboo regions.

BC Wildfire Service Chief Information Officer Kevin Skrepnek says better weather conditions have played a pivotal role.

“We currently have 183 fires burning across the province, and that is certainly a decrease from yesterday [Tuesday]. We only had 12 new fires, something I’m very happy to report and given that is a fraction of some of the numbers we’ve been seeing; 140 new fires on Friday, nearly 100 on Saturday.”

He says fire activity is still aggressive, but conditions this week are expected to improve, which will allow crews to continue initial attacks.

“We are expecting a continuation of hot, dry conditions across Southern BC, with the potential for some lightning in the Cariboo. It is currently looking like that lightning will have rain with it, which is certainly a positive given a lot of the new fires we responded to Friday were the result of dry lightning.”

Since April 1st, more than 600 fires have been reported, burning more than 78,000 hectares of land.

Skrepnek urges residents to follow the rules and guidelines of all evacuation alerts and orders.

Despite the decrease, several air quality bulletins are still in effect.

Provincial health authorities, including Northern and Interior Health, have issued advisories in the Cariboo and as far North as the Bulkley Valley.

Dr. Sarah Henderson with the BC Centre for Disease Control says to be careful when heading through those regions.

“Smoke is made up of gases and very fine particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs and they can irritate the lungs. They can also cause more systemic inflammation across the whole body, which can be hard on the heart and on the brain.”

She says those with chronic illnesses, pregnant women, young children, and seniors will be most impacted by the heavy smoke, but believes a wide-range of the population of evacuees is at a health risk.

“The best thing to do is to look for air that is less smoky, create a clean air shelter in your own home, you can also look for buildings such as libraries, community centres, and shopping malls, and people can self-evacuate out of an area.”

Dr. Henderson adds to check the BC Air Quality website to see if your area is affected or under a strict advisory.

If you’re experiencing a medical emergency involving respiratory problems, you are asked to call 911 immediately.

Something going on in the Prince George area you think people should know about?
Send us a news tip by emailing [email protected].

Continue Reading

cjci Now playing play

cirx Now playing play

- Advertisement -

Related Articles

- Advertisement -

Latest News

Three workshops coming to Prince George for Alzheimer caregivers

The Alzheimer Society of B.C. will be hosting free workshops in Prince George next week.

Cops for Cancer Tour de North raises $245,000 for childhood cancer research

Emergency service crews that took part in this year's Cops for Cancer Tour de North wrapped up their seven day ride on Thursday in Prince Rupert.

Zach’s Sports Shorts; Saturday, September 20th

The regular season officially kicked off for the Prince George Cougars yesterday (Friday) after a 6-1 victory over the Portland Winterhawks at home.

New faces shine for Cougars in season opener

That's starting the season with a bang.The Prince George Cougars opened their season with a 6-1 win over the Portland Winterhawks in front of 4,252 fans at the CN Centre.

Spruce Kings road woes in Chilliwack reach another low

Another trip to the Fraser Valley turned out to be a bust as the Chilliwack Chiefs tallied five un-answered goals enroute to a 6-2 victory Friday night to begin the BCHL regular season.
- Advertisement -