BURSTA thunderstorm over the weekend caused multiple wildfires to spark close to Tulameen and the surrounding area.
As of Monday morning (Aug. 24), there are four out-of-control wildfires between the Coquihalla Highway, Highway 3, and Highway 5A, with three of them west of Tulameen.
Of those, the largest one is along Lawless Creek Forest Service Road, close to Lower Mount Rabbit. In its last update, which came at 5:16 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 23, the fire was listed at 12.17 hectares in size.
A little northwest is a nearly four-hectare blaze just off of Holm Creek that’s listed as out-of-control.
There is also an out-of-control 0.3-hectare fire north of Murphy Lakes West Recreation Site.
Lastly, there is an out-of-control blaze beside Voght Valley Road, west of Highway 5A. It is 1.1 hectares in size.
Three other fires that were sparked are been extinguished and are listed as under control – south of Britton Creek (0.4 hectares), between Coalmont road and Mark Creek (0.4 hectares), and beside Missezula Lake North (0.009 hectares).
West of the Coquihalla Highway, south of Juilet Creek and west of July Creek, a 0.009 hectare fire has been classified as being held.
BC Wildfire Service suspects that all seven fires were lightning-caused from the thunderstorm over the weekend.
There is currently 184 active wildfires in British Columbia – 64 out of control (including four wildfires of note), 55 being held, and 65 under control.
In the last 24 hours, 63 new wildfires have started. In that same timeframe, 44 have been declared out.