Rain and Smoke Help Fight Canadian Wildfires; Evacuations Continue

In this photo released by the British Columbia Wildfire Service, a 2,000 hectares planned ignition is successfully completed on the Stoddart Creek wildfire, on Saturday, May 20, 2023, in Stoddart Creek, British Columbia. The operation achieved its objective of removing unburnt, highly susceptible understory fuels and timber between the fire’s westernmost edge and Highway 97 and has reduced the likelihood of further spread west across the highway. (Scott Reynolds/British Columbia Wildfire Service via The Canadian Press via AP)

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Scattered rains and even smoke cover cooled air temperatures and helped efforts to fight wildfires in Alberta over the weekend, officials said Sunday, while a new fire in neighboring British Columbia led to an evacuation order for one rural area.

See also  Firefighters, Community Replace California Girl’s Baseball Card Collection Lost to Wildfire

As the heavy smoke brought cooler temperatures, it also limited the ability to fly firefighting aircraft and it can harm the health of people having to breathe it, authorities added.

“I couldn’t say one outweighs the other. We will take advantage of any opportunity we have, and if it’s providing an opportunity for more on-the-ground firefighting, then that’s what we’re able to do,” Christie Tucker, an Alberta fire official, said at a news conference.

Tucker said only five new wildfires started between Friday morning and Sunday morning, part of which he attributed to Albertans respecting restrictions on fires and ATV use. Overall Sunday, 84 fires burned in the province, 23 of which were out of control. More than 10,000 people were sheltering away from their homs.

See also  A Wildfire in Western Canada Is Growing. More People Nearby Are Told to Leave

“While we are optimistic that the forecast rain will be enough to make a difference to some wildfires in the province, we are not out of the woods yet,” Tucker said.

In British Columbia, which has also been plagued by wildfires, an out-of-control blaze that sprang up led officials to order the evacuation of an area near Tzenzaicut Lake about 600 kilometers (375 miles) north of Vancouver. Firefighters had to abandon one property.

Jessica Mack, a spokeswoman for the Cariboo Fire Centre, said crews were using heavy equipment and firefighting aircraft to combat the growing blaze.

Officials said a number of major wildfires remained in both the Cariboo and Peace River regions, but changing wind directions and cooler weather helped fightfighters temper the spread of those blazes.

See also  Wildfire Destroys 80% of Homes in Washington Town

In the Cariboo region, an evacuation alert was lifted for the communities of Anahim Lake and the Ulkatcho First Nation.

 

Topics

Subscribe to Our Monthly Newsletter

Stay in the loop with our wildland newsletter.

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Scattered rains and even smoke cover cooled air temperatures and helped efforts to fight wildfires in Alberta over the weekend, officials said Sunday, while a new fire in neighboring British Columbia led to an evacuation order for one rural area. As the heavy smoke brought cooler temperatures, it also limited the […]

Get The Wildland Firefighter Newsletter

Related Articles

Remembering Mike

Remembering Mike

I feel like I’ve been knocked back on my heals right now. I lost my old IC last month to a nasty lung disease. Back in the 2000s I was on a type 1 incident management team. Our team was the 4th national IMT called up after September 11th 2001. Our team spent a month...

Wildfire in NJ Pine Barrens Expected to Grow Before It’s Contained

Wildfire in NJ Pine Barrens Expected to Grow Before It’s Contained

By BRUCE SHIPKOWSKI Associated Press CHATSWORTH, N.J. (AP) — A fast-moving wildfire engulfing part of New Jersey's Pine Barrens has not resulted in any injuries, officials said, though it's expected to grow before forecast rain later this week. The fire in southern...