B.C. wildfire count drops amid cool, wet weather, but about 400 still burn

Smoke from a wildfire in Williams Lake, B.C., is shown in this Sunday, July 21, 2024 handout photo. British Columbia firefighters say a cold front was to blame for the expansion of an out-of-control wildfire south of Golden, B.C., and warn of similar boosts to fire behaviour despite recent rain and cool weather. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO — BC Wildfire Service

The number of active wildfires in British Columbia has dropped again to about 400 after another day of favourable weather.

The BC Wildfire Service says the fire risk has decreased on the heels of cooler temperatures and rain in many regions following a prolonged dry spell and heat wave that drove numbers beyond 430 earlier this week.

In the central Interior, the District of Wells has rescinded an evacuation order that had spanned the community and surrounding rural areas.

The district says residents are allowed to return home, but they must remain ready to leave on short notice as the 142-kilometre-square Antler Creek blaze burns nearby.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District has meanwhile issued an evacuation order for four properties on Dunn Lake Road, which is closed for a 22-kilometre stretch north of Barriere due to the 12-square-kilometre Dunn Creek fire.

The fires are among about 218 out-of-control blazes across the province, down from about 260 on Wednesday.

The wildfire service says a risk of thunderstorms persists across the Interior, bringing rain as well as gusty winds that could fan the flames of existing blazes.

It says winds from the cold front were to blame for the rapid expansion of an out-of-control fire near Golden in southeastern B.C.

The Town of Golden says the 55-square-kilometre Dogtooth Forest Service Road fire destroyed as many as six homes, but assessments are still being done to confirm the damage.

An evacuation alert has been rescinded for the Village of Ashcroft, which was under threat from the Shetland Creek fire, the same blaze that destroyed at least six homes in the Venables Valley.

The community of Silverton remains on an evacuation order as the Aylwin Creek fire burns nearby, closing Highway 6 between New Denver and Slocan with no timeline for reopening.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 26, 2024.