Rain expected this weekend could help contain the extensive wildfires that have been burning near the city of Fort St. John for two weeks, the BC Fire Department hopes.
Department spokeswoman Karley Desrosiers says the Stoddart Creek blaze — the largest in the region — has grown just six square kilometers in the past 24 hours.
It measured 266 square kilometers on Saturday.
Firefighters will take advantage of winds that carry the blaze north to set up a prescribed burn near its southern end near Highway 97, Ms.me Roses.
If successful, this strategy would create one more protection for Fort St. John, before the wind blows south again and blows the blaze back towards the city.
Environment Canada predicts a 30 to 40 percent chance of showers over Fort St. John Saturday and Sunday.
On the other hand, there is also a risk of thunderstorms on Saturday and Sunday, and the teams on the ground are on the lookout for lightning which could create new fires.
Smoke covers Alberta
PHOTO ALBERTA WILDFIRE, VIA REUTERS
A firefighter at work near Valleyview, Alberta
A forecast of cooler temperatures and even rain is giving evacuees and firefighters some hope after thick smoke from wildfires burning across the Prairies forced the cancellation of a number of outdoors that traditionally mark the start of the May long weekend.
A fog-like haze obscured visibility in Edmonton on Saturday.
On Friday, provincial wildfire officials advised Albertans to consider postponing their long weekend plans as nearly 100 wildfires continue to burn across the province.
Log fires are now banned across the province due to the risk of fire.
“We appreciate the actions of those who adapted their plans this weekend to help prevent further wildfires in the province,” Alberta Wildfire’s Christie Tucker said at a Saturday press conference.
Several events have been canceled in Edmonton due to air quality.
“The smoke makes it difficult to fly and fight forest fires from the air. But it creates cooler conditions which can weaken the behavior of the fire,” added M.me Tucker.
A number of large wildfires in northern Alberta increased on Friday due to hot and dry conditions, including a fire near Lake Chipewyan in the Fort McMurray forest area and the Kimiwan Complex wildfire that threatens the Peavine Métis settlement in the Peace River forest area.
Mme Tucker pointed out that a weather front moving into Alberta on Sunday is being watched and could bring cooler temperatures, humidity and even rain.
With information from Chuck Chiang in Vancouver