Photo: John Rodall Planes work the Okanagan Centre fire.

The province has lost more timber to wildfires to this point in 2017 than over the previous four years.

Since the start of the current fire season, 700 wildfires have been reported across the province. Those fires have resulted in more than 410,000 hectares of timber going up in flames.

About half of those were human caused.

The only year close was two years ago.

In 2015, there were more than 1,250 fires reported, however the amount of forests burned was half of this years total to date.

To date, the province has burned through $111.8 million to fight the fires. In 2015, the province had spent $127.7 million.

The other years over the five year period were relatively tame in comparison.

2016 - 545 fires burned 93,596 ha. Cost, $76.4 million

2014 - 640 fires burned 166,222 ha. Cost, $70.8 million

2013 - 455 fires burned 5,410 ha. Cost, $39 million.

Firefighting costs are not available for the Kamloops Fire Centre alone, however, the amount of forest burned so far in 2017 is comparable to provincial numbers.

To date in 2017, 120 fires have started in the Kamloops Fire Centre, which includes the Okanagan. More than 60,000 hectares of forest has burned. That's almost seven times the previous four years combined.

Traditionally, August is the worst month for fires in the province.

Well over half of the fires reported in the province over the past four years started after August 1.