The Cariboo Fire Centre cautions that wildfire activity could see an increase over the weekend across the Cariboo–Chilcotin.
Sustained winds are forecasted to sweep over the western Chilcotin Fire Zone on Saturday, September 13. The winds are expected to reach between 15 kilometres per hour with gusts up to 30 kilometres per hour, coming from the south–southwest and south–southeast directions in the Chilcotin.
The Cariboo Fire Centre says that temperatures are expected to reach up to 28 degrees Celsius, with dry conditions.
Then a cold frontal passage is expected to sweep through the region on Sunday, September 14. The Fire Centre says gusts of wind could reach as high as 40 kilometres per hour, blowing in from the west–northwest direction.
Temperatures on Sunday are expected to dip to between 16 and 18 degrees Celsius, with minimal precipitation forecasted over the weekend.
As a result of the winds and warm conditions, the Cariboo Fire Centre says all ‘Out of Control’ wildfires in the western regions of the Chilcotin Fire Zone are expected to “experience an increase in fire activity behaviours and growth”.
Currently, the Cariboo Fire Centre and BC Wildfire Service are battling 11 wildfires listed as Out of Control.
The largest in the region is the Itcha Lake wildfire, approximately 54,634 hectares in size. The next largest, and one that the Fire Centre says may be affected by the gusts of wind the most, is the Beef Trail Creek wildfire, approximately 13,933 hectares in size.
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