State of emergency prompted by B.C. wildfires extended for 2 weeks

Thick smoke fills the air and nearly blocks out the sun as a property destroyed by the White Rock Lake wildfire is seen in Monte Lake, east of Kamloops, B.C., on Saturday, August 14, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Vancouver -

The state of emergency prompted by B.C.'s challenging wildfire season has been extended for another two weeks.

The extension was announced Tuesday as more than 30,000 properties across the province remained under an evacuation order or alert due to the 263 wildfires burning in B.C.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth also asked the public to avoid travelling to the areas threatened by wildfires for the time being.

"I want to assure British Columbians that we're taking every step possible to ensure the safety of everyone in these communities. We're also asking travellers to stay away from fire-affected areas," Farnworth said in a news release.

"Consider travelling to other areas of B.C. until the situation stabilizes."

Officials have also stressed the importance of obeying evacuation orders, particularly after firefighters' lives were recently put at risk helping stragglers flee the White Rock Lake wildfire.

"Wildfire crews and first responders are currently faced with incredible challenges," Forests Minister Katrine Conroy said in a statement. "The best way we can support their efforts is to work together and follow evacuation orders and alerts."

The declaration of a state of emergency gives the government extraordinary powers to deal with a crisis, though officials said such extreme measures are not currently necessary.

Renewing the state of emergency means the province will have "the ability to move quickly, if the need arises," the Ministry of Public Safety said in a news release.

One way the province used those extraordinary powers earlier this year, during a separate state of emergency declared over the COVID-19 pandemic, was by temporarily restricting travel within B.C.