Fire danger rating, Aug 30 (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

WILDFIRE SEASON

Kamloops Fire Centre sees 178 lightning caused fires in August

Aug 30, 2022 | 4:12 PM

KAMLOOPS — There are currently 27 wildfires burning at various stages of control across the Kamloops Fire Centre. Only the Keremeos blaze is listed as a ‘fire of note’ at over 7,000 hectares. The two closest fires to Kamloops are both considered under control.

B.C. Wildfire Information Officer Aydan Coray noted that the fire season began much later than usual this year and conditions remain dry and tinder. With the Labour Day long weekend ahead, she confirmed that the fire ban in the region is still in effect.

“While we have been in a period of lower temperatures over the last week, we are expecting a return to hot and dry conditions closer to the end of the week. We are expecting an increase in gusting winds, thunderstorms and potential dry lightning by this weekend,” stated Coray.

The Kamloops Fire Centre was hammered by thunderstorms throughout August leading to more than 150 new fire starts. Coray said that more unstable weather could be coming in early September.

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“In the month of August we have seen 215 wildfire starts in the Kamloops Fire Centre, 178 of those are suspected to be lightning caused. Over the month of August we have seen around 15,000 lightning strikes in the Fire Centre alone. So that is indicative of the conditions we’ve seen this month,” said Coray.