Heat warnings and special weather statements cover most of southern British Columbia as temperatures are forecast to soar through the weekend, magnifying anxiety about wildfire risk.
British Columbia is reporting a slight increase in the number of active wildfires but cooler temperatures and forecasts of rain could bring some relief.
The recent heat dome, forest fires, and now drought threaten the ecosystems and watersheds that wild salmon need to survive, says Jason Hwang of the Pacific Salmon Foundation.
The BC Wildfire Service says flames in the hills on the southeast side of Skaha Lake, east of Okanagan Falls, were reported Sunday and had charred an estimated five square kilometres of the rural area within hours.
A statement issued by the wildfire-ravaged Village of Lytton describes how little time residents had to flee and underscores the extreme challenges ahead as the Fraser Canyon community looks to rebuild.
Emergency response staff who are charged with supporting residents threatened by some of British Columbia's largest wildfires paused for a breath on Monday, July 5, 2021, following several turbulent days.
The temperature in a village in British Columbia's southern Interior reached a scorching 46.1 C on Sunday, June 27, 2021, afternoon, marking a new all-time high recorded in Canada.
Jeremy Cain spent on Thursday, June 24, 2021, overseeing a team of outreach workers in Kamloops, B.C., in a race against an impending heat wave that he worries will put the city's already vulnerable community members at even greater risk.