B.C. fire crew ranks bolstered

British Columbia's weary firefighters are getting a helping hand as more than 200 fire personnel from the United States, Ontario and Alberta have arrived to help battle the province's wildfires.

Since April, B.C. has had more than 1,200 wildfires that have scorched more than 930 square kilometres of land.

Hot, dry conditions, mixed with evening blasts of lightning, have fuelled dozens of new wildfires each day.

About 410 fires burned in B.C. on Thursday.

The Cariboo region in the centre of the province has been of particular concern, with three separate blazes keeping residents from their homes.

All of the visiting firefighter personnel will be based out of the Cariboo and Prince George fire centres. About 250 personnel arrived in B.C. on July 31.

There are about 2,000 B.C. fire officials already in the field.

Eighty per cent of the province has a fire danger rating of high to extreme.