BC Wildfire Service is responding to the Heather Lake fire. The fire started in the US in the Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest and has crossed the border into Manning EC Provincial Park. jpg

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The firefighters of BC are battling two aggressive and fast-spreading wildfires as hot, dry and windy conditions hamper containment efforts.

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One is the Heather Lake Fire that started in the U.S. in the Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest, according to the BC Fire Service. Start your day with a roundup of BC-focused news and opinion delivered straight to your inbox at 7am, Monday to Friday. By clicking the subscribe button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300

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That fire, which is considered out of control, was discovered in the U.S. last month, but officials said Saturday it has now crossed the border and is rapidly expanding into EC Manning Provincial Park. The fire is not threatening any homes, but “is exhibiting aggressive fire behavior and is highly visible from the 3 Freeway,” fire officials said. The fire is believed to have been caused by lightning and is estimated at 1,500 hectares. Meanwhile, an evacuation alert was issued Friday for another wildfire in BC’s interior. The alert was issued by the Penticton Indian Band for the Shingle Creek area due to the Blue Mountain fire, which broke out Friday west of Penticton and quickly spread to 50 hectares due to high winds.

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BC Wildfire Service is responding to a new incident located approximately 15 kilometers north of the Keremeos Creek Wildfire for the Blue Mountain Fire. jpg Elsewhere, firefighters say the Battleship Mountain fire, located about 50 kilometers west of Hudson’s Hope, is also spreading due to hot and windy conditions. This fire, which is a large fire, is now estimated at 4,500 hectares. It is one of five notable fires in BC. The others are the Bearhole Lake and Dinosaur Lake fires, both in the Prince George fire station, and the Fat Dog Creek and Heather Lake fires in the Coastal fire station. Bearhole Lake, which is also considered out of control, has been mapped at 1,600 hectares and is expected to grow due to the heat and wind conditions, according to the BC Wildfire Service. Forest fire smoke from southern B.C. and Washington State is causing hazy skies and smoky conditions in many parts of the province.

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On Saturday morning, Environment and Climate Change Canada issued air quality warnings for more than 20 regions, mostly in the interior and northeastern parts of the province, saying communities will likely be affected by wildfire smoke over the next 24 hours. up to 48 hours. On Thursday, Forests Minister Katrine Conroy said it has been a below-average fire season so far this year in British Columbia, but high fire risks are forecast for September. He said the number of wildfires and the area they have burned since April compares favorably with the 20-year average, with 1,355 fires charring 430 square kilometers this year. That’s only about a sixth of the area burned by the 1,515 fires so far on average, and one-twentieth of the 8,650 square kilometers burned last year when the province was scorched by heatwave weather. Neil McLoughlin, a spokesperson for the BC Wildfire Service, says up to 75 per cent of BC’s wildfires have been caused by lightning this season, with 98,000 strikes recorded in August. He said hot and dry weather was forecast to continue into September, which would keep fire risks high in the southwestern and northeastern parts of the province.

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#BCWildfireService is responding to the Heather Lake Fire (V11746), which started in the United States in the Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest and has crossed the border into Manning EC Provincial Park. pic.twitter.com/IvN1qlBLST — BC Wildfire Service (@BCGovFireInfo) September 3, 2022

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—with files from The Canadian Press

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