What you need to know about B.C. wildfires for Aug. 18

The latest on the wildfires:

• Rain and cooler temperatures are in the forecast in coming days, which could be helpful for wildfire suppression efforts as long as the wind remains calm.
• Thousands of properties in B.C. remain under evacuation order, despite nearly 1,000 being taken off evacuation order and almost 500 taken off evacuation alert on Tuesday night.
• Highway 1 between Lytton and Cache Creek has reopened after a lengthy closure due to a mudslide triggered by rain and fire activity.
• Tourists are being urged to stay out of communities affected by wildfires.
• The B.C. government has extended the provincial state of emergency until the end of August to better assist wildfire evacuees.
• For a full list of evacuation orders and alerts, visit Emergency Information B.C.

A change in the weather has calmed fire behaviour in many parts of the province over the past couple of days; however, thousands of British Columbians remain on evacuation order as fires continue to burn close to several communities. 

A significant increase in fire activity over the weekend because of gusting winds created challenging conditions for firefighters. Rain, cooler temperatures and relatively high humidity in parts of B.C.'s Interior has diminished fire behaviour in the short term, but the amount of rain received in many areas wasn't enough to have any lasting effect on the fires, as deep layers in the ground are still dry.

More rain is forecast for the southern Interior over the weekend. 

Smoke cleared in some parts of B.C.'s Interior on Tuesday. In Kamloops, the air was the cleanest it had been since last Wednesday. 

Air quality statements are still in effect for most of the southern Interior.

The White Rock Lake fire, which has destroyed dozens of homes, is currently estimated to be about 782 square kilometres in size.

Information officer Forrest Tower with the B.C. Wildfire Service said it's unlikely the White Rock Lake fire will be completely extinguished until the fall or winter, when natural processes can put it out.

The recent rain brought some instability to the wildfire-ravaged area of Lytton, triggering a mudslide that forced the closure of Highway 1 between Cache Creek and Lytton.  As of Wednesday at 7 p.m. PT, the highway had reopened.

Liberals, Tories trade jabs over wildfire response

On Wednesday, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole attacked Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau over his response to the wildfires.

In a letter to Trudeau, O'Toole reiterated criticism from some local officials that Trudeau's election call was unnecessary at a time when fires were burning across the province.

"This is an issue that you were entrusted to take seriously, and which you could have shown real leadership on. Instead, you called an unnecessary election," he wrote.

In the letter, O'Toole also asked for a stronger federal response to the wildfires, including mobilizing the Canadian Armed Forces, which has been another request from local officials in B.C.'s Interior.

Trudeau fired back at O'Toole at an event in Vancouver on Wednesday morning, saying the Conservatives were incapable of admitting that climate change was even real.

At the event, he announced that he had plans to purchase water bombers and other firefighting equipment ahead of the next firefighting season, including from Viking Air, which is based in North Saanich.

"A re-elected Liberal government will invest $500 million ahead of the next fire season for the firefighters and equipment provinces need," he said, promising to train 1,000 new firefighters next year.

When asked by reporters why he did not introduce these measures ahead of this year's wildfire season, Trudeau said he had been working with provincial officials on the wildfire response for "weeks and weeks".

Some evacuation alerts lifted on Wednesday

As of 7 p.m. PT on Tuesday, 7,330 properties in B.C. were under an evacuation order, while residents of more than 22,000 properties were on evacuation alert, meaning they should be ready to leave at a moment's notice.

A total of 932 properties were taken off evacuation order over the course of the day.

They included 166 properties in Cherry Creek, about 28 kilometres west of Kamloops, where the Tremont Creek wildfire had previously threatened homes. 

The City of Kamloops rescinded an evacuation alert that was in place for the western part of the city on Tuesday morning. The City of Armstrong also rescinded its citywide evacuation alert on Wednesday morning.

The Regional District of Central Okanagan says crews have made substantial progress battling the Mount Law fire outside West Kelowna, where one structure was significantly damaged along with one previously damaged outbuilding.

The regional district says evacuation orders related to the fire, last measured at about eight square kilometres, have been partially downgraded and most residents have been allowed to return home, with the exception of 17 properties on the outskirts of the Glenrosa neighbourhood.

The B.C. government has extended the provincial state of emergency until the end of August, in order to better support those forced to flee their homes due to the wildfires.

Anyone placed under an evacuation order should leave the area immediately. 

Evacuation centres have been set up throughout the province to assist anyone evacuating from a community under threat from a wildfire.

To find the centre closest to you, visit the Emergency Management B.C. website.

Evacuees are encouraged to register with Emergency Support Services online, whether or not they access services at an evacuation centre.

READ MORE:

• B.C. mayors call for more federal assistance as wildfires ravage the province.
• Cooler temperatures, rain help B.C. firefighting effort, but relief may be short-lived.
• Climate risk scores could reshape Canadian real estate markets, some experts say.
• Kamloops farmer says he holds B.C. government accountable for White Rock Lake wildfire losses.

Do you have a story to share?

If you've been affected by the B.C. wildfires and want to share your story, email us at cbcnewsvancouver@cbc.ca.