B.C. residents ready to evacuate due to fires
A new notable fire in the province after a month-long lull.
Warm and dry weather persists in British Columbia despite the fact that it's approaching mid-fall. That means the province's forests are still fire prone. And although the busiest season in this regard is behind us, news of fires continues to come in.
So a wildfire totaling up to seven square kilometers has been displaced in the Peace River District near Wartenbe Mountain. It has continued to grow since Sunday and is classified by the British Columbia Wildfire Service (BCWS) as a fire that poses a potential threat to public safety.
The emergency services have already notified the population of the nearby (about 20 km) settlements of Chetwynd and Lone Prairie. The residents of the towns are now prepared for evacuation: this means that they should be ready to leave their homes as soon as possible. Evacuation will take place if the fire continues to grow.
Rescuers in British Columbia are currently working to make sure that doesn't happen. Fifteen firefighters and five helicopters have been dispatched to the Wartenbe area. Crews with heavy equipment are on the scene.
The province currently has 323 active wildfires remaining. These statistics make the 2023 season the worst on record. The area of wildfires this year was 28,500 square kilometers. That more than doubled the previous record: 13,500 square kilometers in 2018.
