What you need to know about B.C. wildfires for Aug. 13

The latest evacuation orders and alerts:

• Entire southern Interior community of Logan Lake is ordered to evacuate because of Tremont Creek fire.
• The same fire has also led to an evacuation order for 10 properties in Electoral Area "J" of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District.
• An additional 42 properties in the same area were issued an evacuation alert Friday night. There are already 280 properties on alert. 
• Residents of another 11 properties near Momich Lake have been told to leave.
• The Lower Nicola Indian Band has issued an evacuation order for Pipsuel Reserve No 3.
• The Township of Spallumcheen also issued a number of evacuation alerts on Thursday.
• The Strathcona Regional District issued an evacuation alert for residents in the Owens Bay Community of Sonora Island.
• The Columbia Shuswap Regional District expanded evacuation alerts related to the White Rock Lake fire.

The province is bracing for strong winds and high temperatures going into the weekend, with those in fire zones being told to expect more evacuation orders and alerts.

All of Logan Lake, a community of about 2,000 people in the southern Interior, was ordered to evacuate on Thursday afternoon because of the rapidly growing Tremont Creek fire, last estimated at 364 square kilometres.

The B.C. Wildfire Service said the fire had grown significantly in the last day and escaped containment lines in the southeast near Tunkwa Lake.

Mike Farnworth, the minister of public safety, issued a travel warning to tourists for parts of the Interior until further notice, including the communities of Armstrong, Spallumcheen, Okanagan Indian Band, Enderby and parts of the North Okanagan Regional District.

"If you are planning to visit this area, now is not the time to do so," Farnworth said. "Protection of life needs to be everyone's priority"

Officials say wildfire conditions have become more challenging across southern B.C. in the face of yet another heat wave following a summer of drought.

The deputy forests minister told reporters Thursday that unlike previous years, firefighters aren't seeing fire conditions relax at night, because humidity levels are so low and nighttime temperatures are so high.

"It really limits our ability to make progress in the evening periods outside of the burning cycle," Rick Manwaring said.

The province says there are nearly 270 wildfires burning across B.C. as of Friday morning. Thirty are considered threatening or highly visible. 

Temperatures are expected to continue rising into the weekend, hitting the high 30s or even low 40s in some parts of southern B.C. The wildfire service says hot and dry conditions will most likely mean increased fire activity over the next few days.

Strong winds are also in the forecast, along with the risk of dry lightning. 

Cliff Chapman, the director of provincial operations for the B.C. Wildfire Service, says the winds have the potential to spread fires, start new ones and generally drive aggressive fire behaviour. 

Cooler temperatures are expected to arrive Sunday. 

Meanwhile, Environment Canada is warning that drifting wildfire smoke will cause air quality problems across most of southern B.C. over the next couple of days.

Nearly 1,500 wildfires have started since April 1, which has resulted in the burning of more than 6,600 square kilometres of land.

Read more

• The combination of extreme heat and wildfire smoke is creating a dangerous Catch-22 for the most vulnerable people in B.C.
• Logan Lake's mayor says "It's looking not so great for us at the moment."
• The B.C. Wildfire Service says challenging conditions in the southern half of the province will likely continue into the weekend.

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