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Structures not threatened by wildfires burning in the Arrow and Kootenay Lakes region

Official says more lightning-caused fires could occur in region over next 36 hours
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More lightning-caused fires could occur in the West Kootenay region over the next 36 hours. Photo: B.C. Wildfire Service

No structures are threatened by two wildfires burning in the Arrow and Kootenay Lakes region, according to Southeast Fire Centre (SFC) information officer Kim Wright.

Wright said the first fire is 0.9 hectares in size and is located in the Stoney Creek area south of Burton. Crews are containing the fire and its not expected to spread beyond its current boundaries.

The second fire is about five hectares in size and is located north of Lardeau in the Lake Creek area. This fire is not contained and crews are currently analyzing it.

BC Wildfire weather forecaster Jesse Ellis said there could be more lightning-caused fires between Thursday and Friday morning as an unstable weather system passes through the region.

“Our most recent lightning events have been drier in comparison to the lighting were expecting over the next 36 hours,” said Ellis.

“However, there will be more fuel to start fires with this system as we’ve had multiple days with dry conditions.”

The storm will bring between two to 15 millimetres of rain and will be more intense closer to the United States border, according to Ellis.

Temperatures in the region will cool off to around 24 C, by Thursday and then the mercury will slowly creep up over the next three or four days.

A cluster of lightning-caused fires have also recently been reported in the Mount Begbie area near Revelstoke.

The West Kootenay region only received 57 per cent of its normal precipitation during the month of July.

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