Canadian News | B.C. Wildfires

Windy conditions worsen the wildfire emergency in B.C.

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Daksha Rangan

Digital Reporter

Sunday, July 16, 2017, 9:30 AM - The ridge of high pressure that has kept conditions hot and dry across southern B.C. is giving way to a cold front — a temperature drop that may have otherwise been welcome, if not for the winds accompanying it.

Special weather statements were issued for much of B.C.'s Southern Interior, with widespread winds between 20 and 50 kilometres per hour beginning in earnest on Saturday over the central and southern Interior.

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The cold front slid southward on Saturday, moving past Williams Lake and 100 Mile House Saturday night.

The gusty northerly winds that developed in its wake were detrimental to the wildfires of William's Lake, and, as a result, led to an evacuation order for the city of 10,000.

Along with a temperature drop of 6 to 8 C on Sunday, the cold front will bring rain with it; however, showers can only be expected north of the Cariboo region, avoiding the areas that need wet weather most.

"There is also the risk of lightning over the central and northern Interior as well as over the Kootenays and Columbias," Environment Canada's special weather statement reads for Cariboo. "Unfortunately, significant rain continues to elude the southern half of the province for the foreseeable future."

The front will weaken Sunday as it continues southward; however, thunderstorms are still expected to develop across much of the Central Interior through the day.

"Brief showers with strong wind gusts to 70 km/h are possible near thunderstorms as far south as the 100 Mile House, North Thompson and Shuswap regions," Environment Canada's special weather statement reads. "There is a slight risk of dry lightning as far south as the South Thompson [Saturday] afternoon."

Prior to the evacuation order in Williams Lake, at least 17,000 people had been displaced across B.C. due to widespread evacuation orders. BC Wildfire Service has flagged dozens of "wildfires of note," which are fires that currently pose a potential threat to public safety. More than 120 wildfires larger than 0.01 hectares were burning in the province at last count.

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BC Wildfire Service tells Environment Canada that the forecasted weather is capable of challenging efforts to contain the several large wildfires burning across southern B.C., while also possibly causing the growth of a number of fires.