Mounties say there is very little hope, if any, that the two-person crew of a downed firefighting plane survived.
The Conair-owned water bomber went down at around 8:30 p.m. Saturday while battling a wildfire near Lytton, B.C., sparking a fire of its own that hindered rescue efforts overnight.
An aerial survey of the site on Sunday morning did little to quell fears about the crew's safety.
"There's no hope for the survival of this crew, that's how it's been put," Cpl Dan Moskaluk said. "Our thoughts are certainly with the affected families."
"It's really truly difficult to express our true sense of appreciation, from all of us here in B.C., for these individuals that dedicate their lives."
The aircraft was contracted out to the B.C. Ministry of Forests and Lands as it fought a new fire near Siwash Road, located about 18 kilometres south of Lytton.
Witnesses reported seeing the plane fall from the sky. A second Conair aircraft that was shadowing the air tanker pinpointed the location of the crash site for crews on the ground.
Rescue teams were able to get within 350 metres of the crash on Saturday, but were forced to turn back due to rocky terrain and a growing wildfire at the site.
The identities of the crew members have not been released.
Hundreds of wildfires burning in B.C.
Evacuation orders and alerts, as well as campfire bans, are in effect across B.C. this weekend as crews struggle to contain more than 300 wildfires.
One raging fire near Dog Creek, about 40 kilometres south of Williams Lake, has spread across 1.8 kilometres. Around 15 per cent of the blaze was contained as of Saturday evening.
The Cariboo and Kamloops Fire Centres have issued evacuation orders or alerts for six areas.
Kim Steinbart, a provincial fire information officer, said weather conditions are expected to be hot and dry for another week, boosting the threat of strong winds and lightning that could make the situation worse.
"The temperature and the low humidity is certainly a challenge, and that's been the situation for a little while" she told CTV News Channel Saturday evening. "Things are extremely dry."
Around 70 per cent of the province is under a campfire ban. The fine for building a campfire during a ban is $345, while penalties for starting a wildfire can hit $1 million and as much as three years in prison.
The province's Ministry of Forests and Range said more than 150 workers will be patrolling parks and campgrounds to enforce the ban.
Steinbart said 1,000 firefighters are trying to contain burning woodlands across the province. She said officials are considering bringing in out-of-province crews to ensure firefighters get enough rest.
