A firefighter works at the Ross Moore Lake wildfire south of Kamloops, B.C., on July 28.HO/The Canadian Press
Thunderstorms are forecast to bring heavy rain to parts of British Columbia, offering some much needed relief to the firefighting efforts – but Environment Canada said there’s also risk of lightning and strong wind, which could spark new fires and intensify the problem.
Philippe-Alain Bergeron, a meteorologist with the federal department, said a widespread area within B.C. is facing the risks of thunderstorms starting Sunday afternoon and potentially into Monday. Areas that may be affected include the southern part of the province, as well as areas of the Northwest and the far Northeast.
In and around Kootenays, in southeastern B.C., the storms may bring wind gusts of 50 kilometres an hour, and potential heavy rain up to 15-20 millimetres in short time span, according to Mr. Bergeron.
“The lightning can pose a problem with causing new ignitions, especially in this particular region where the fire danger ratings are high to extreme. And then the winds will potentially have an impact on propagating the existing fires,” he said in an interview Sunday afternoon.
“The one good thing, though, if and where there are good amounts of rain – and that has a dampening effect on the fire. So there’s all these paradoxical and kind of contradictory potential impact.”
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Erika Berg, provincial wildfire information officer with BC Wildfire Service, said fire officials are primarily focusing on Kamloops Fire Center and the Southeast Fire Center in the province’s south because of the dryness of fuels in the area.
She said the northern areas have seen some precipitation and cooler temperatures over the past little while, but warmer and drier conditions are returning, which may result in fuels rebounding and becoming susceptible.
Over the past 72 hours, 53 new wildfires have erupted, with the majority being caused by lightning activity, Ms. Berg said.
Of the 371 wildfires currently burning in the province, more than 80 per cent have been determined to be caused by lightning. The Donnie Creek fire, which has grown into the largest blaze ever recorded in B.C., was also started by lightning.
Ms. Berg said the fire officials are working with weather forecasters and fire behaviour specialists to do their best to predict where they may see a lightning strike where fields are more susceptible. She said the agency’s operation staff are in constant conversations with those forecasters so they can best prepared for weather events and shift their tactics needed.
“Firefighter safety is the BC wildfire service’s No. 1 priority,” she said, adding crews would be pulled off if fire behaviour becomes unsafe because of shifting winds or other elements.
“Having thunderstorms enter the situation, it can result in some additional considerations when it comes to personnel safety on the ground.”
Mr. Bergeron said parts of B.C., especially the Interior – where the fire danger is rated high to extreme – will see cool and wet weather mid-week, but “beyond that, if we look at the rest of the week, and then next weekend, and early next week, it’s a warming trend again.”