Rain and cooler temperatures are helping firefighters battle wildfires in British Columbia’s northeast, but officials say it’s unclear how much impact the weather will have on some of the province’s largest blazes.
The B.C. Wildfire Service says more than 40 fires remain out of control in the Prince George Fire Centre region, including three wildfires of note that have prompted evacuation orders.
The largest is the Pocket Knife Creek wildfire, which merged with another blaze last weekend and has grown to more than 1,500 square kilometres.
Pedro Roldan-Delgado, a fire information officer, said Thursday that the area is expected to receive a “meaningful” amount of rain Friday, which could help keep fire activity low and give crews better access to the blaze.
The Peace River Regional District issued evacuation orders earlier this week for areas stretching from the Buckinghorse River to Trutch, as well as near Sikanni Chief Road and Highway 97.
Julia Caranci, another fire information officer, said in a video update that the scar left by the 2023 Donnie Creek wildfire is helping slow the fire’s growth as it moves east. The Donnie Creek fire, which burned more than 6,000 square kilometres, remains the largest wildfire on record in B.C.
The wildfire service said Thursday that the Summit Lake fire is growing. However, low overnight temperatures and higher humidity have helped slow its spread. Crews are working along Highway 97 to remove damaged trees, and drivers are being warned of the risk that weakened trees may fall onto roads without warning.
The Northern Rockies Regional Municipality expanded an evacuation order Tuesday for the Tetsa River area. Since then, the fire has grown to nearly 850 square kilometres.
Meanwhile, the Kiskatinaw River wildfire remains out of control, but officials said it did not grow overnight. Cooler conditions helped reduce fire activity as the blaze along the B.C.-Alberta border reached 266 square kilometres. Rain is expected in the area over the next few days before drier weather returns late Sunday.
The wildfire service says crews remain stationed 24 hours a day in the community of Kelly Lake to protect homes and other structures.
Both the Peace River Regional District and the County of Grande Prairie in Alberta have issued evacuation orders and alerts for areas affected by the Kiskatinaw River fire.
With files from Zachary Barrowcliff
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