By Vanessa Ybarra

Lightning forecast this week, firefighters brace for more blazes

Jul 29, 2017 | 4:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — Nine new fires started in B.C. Friday bringing the total burning throughout the province to 148.

Chief Information Officer Kevin Skrepnek says the Elephant Hill fire remains at over 70,387 hectares and is 30 per cent contained.

The wildfire north of Monte Lake hasn’t seen any new growth and remains at approximetly 150 hectares in size.

With with no rain expected for the next seven to ten days throughout the Cariboo and Southern Interior, Skrepnek says wildfire activity could pick up significantly in the next week, in particular Thursday.

“Unfortunately on Thursday we are starting to see the potential for some sub tropical moisture to come in and that could bring lightning,” said Skrepnek. “Given that we’ve seen an incredibly dry month already and are potentially seeing some high temperatures next week, to have that lightning arrive on Thursday could make for a very dangerous situation.”

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Skrepnek says close to five-thousand B.C. and out-of-province personel continue to fight the blazes.

The B.C. Wildfire Service has so far spent close to $167-million on the fire fight.