Image Credit: BC Wildfire Service / White Rock Lake wildfire / August 5, 21

By Canadian Press / CFJC Today

White Rock Lake wildfire

“This is a catastrophic event” BC Wildfire Service on White Rock Lake wildfire

Aug 12, 2021 | 1:10 PM

KAMLOOPS – The BC Wildfire Service says high temperatures, low humidity and an increase in winds are making wildfire conditions challenging in southern British Columbia.

“In my 28 years, I’ve never seen forest fuels this dry,” said Mark Healey, the Incident Commander for the White Rock Lake wildfire. “This is a catastrophic event. This isn’t just a wildfire.”

Fire information officer Erika Berg says heat and gusty winds are raising concern across the Kamloops and southern Cariboo regions. She says while fires are usually at their peak during the midday heat, relatively high nighttime temperatures combined with low humidity are also hindering efforts to calm the blazes after sunset.

Berg says cooler temperatures are expected by Sunday, but strong wind gusts are also forecast, along with a risk of dry lightning.

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She says the wildfire service is preparing for more activity on some of the nearly 270 wildfires currently burning, along with the likelihood of new fires starts.

Thirty fires are ranked as threatening or highly visible, including the 580-square-kilometre White Rock Lake wildfire between Kamloops and Vernon.