Rain across B.C.’s Southern Interior provides some relief to wildfire

Much needed rain has helped reduce fire activity at the White Rock Lake wildfire in B.C.’s interior – but it’s not over yet. As @KierJunos reports, search and rescue teams are on standby even as some evacuation alerts are rescinded.

KAMLOOPS (NEWS 1130) — Fire crews battling wildfires, including the large White Rock Lake fire in B.C.’s Interior, say thankfully, the rain this weekend has helped with their efforts.

Forrest Tower with the B.C. Wildfire Service says the rainfall “certainly diminished fire activity compared to previous days.”

“So we’re able to work on areas that were previously unsafe.”

But, he says the hot weather is poised to make a return.

“As we progress through the week, it looks like we’re back to a drying trend with some warmer temperatures, and so we’ll probably be back to seeing some pretty aggressive fire behaviour into the end of next week.”

While temperatures are not as hot as they were in late June, Tower says the current rage of temperature mixed with the lower relative humidity “will just bring us back right back to that aggressive behaviour.”

“We’re trying to get as far ahead as we can on our priority areas while we have a bit of a break.”

The White Rock Lake fire has forced thousands from their homes along a now-closed stretch of Highway 97 in the southern Interior and has grown to an estimated 550-square kilometres.

The fire is still burning out of control, forcing thousands of people out of their homes.

Evacuation orders and alerts stretch from several neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Kamloops to Chase in the north and Enderby and Vernon in the east.

Most of Vernon, a city of more than 45,000, is on evacuation alert.

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