B.C. heat wave may increase wildfire activity: wildfire service

As sweltering heat sets in over much of British Columbia, the province's wildfire authority is warning that dry conditions will increase the potential for wildfire activity.

But the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) says the above average temperatures, which are expected to continue into next week, also lowers the risk of lightning that can spark blazes. 

It says there are about 90 fires currently burning in B.C., noting 73 per cent of them were caused by lightning.

None are considered "wildfires of note", which are highly visible and may pose a threat to public safety, but the service is reporting about 20 are classified as burning out of control. 

One such blaze is the Patry Creek fire about 60 kilometres north of Fort Nelson, which the service upgraded to "out of control" on Friday after warm, dry, windy weather set in.

It says that blaze is now expected to grow beyond its current perimeter, but does not pose an immediate threat to the community.

Fire activity is increasing in the North Peace Fire Complex, the area around Fort Nelson, according to Dave MacKinnon, a BCWS information officer in Fort Nelson.

"Any time we have an increase in heat, especially accompanied by an increase in wind and a decrease in relative humidity, we expect to see an increase in fire behaviour," MacKinnon told CBC News. "And that certainly is what's happening in the Fort Nelson area."

MacKinnon noted that active fires cover an area of 400,000 hectares within the North Peace region, and some of those fires are holdover fires from last summer. 

"If we do have a new [fire] start that doesn't see suppression, given the right alignment of wind and fuel type, we could see new fires grow to four hectares in a half an hour," he said. 

Environment Canada has issued heat warnings for more than two dozen regions across the province, noting the worst of the heat wave is expected to start Sunday and last into next week.