No matter where you are in British Columbia, chances are you’ve seen or experienced the smoke and devastation of the wildfires. Now, a glimpse of the chaos is available from space.
NASA released images taken by satellite last week, and they show just how far the smoke has spread.
BC Wildfire Update:
In the latest update on the situation, Kevin Skrepnek, BC’s Chief Fire Information Officer, said that 140 fires continue to burn across the province.
However, only 4 new fires started on July 18th, a decrease in comparison to recent trends.
Six hundred and seventy-four fires have burned through British Columbia since April 1st, covering over 353,000 hectares of land.
The BC Wildfire Service’s overall cost of dealing with the blazes currently sits at $105.3 million.
Currently, 27 “fires of note” are active in the province, with 15 posing a present threat to communities.
Three thousand firefighters and support staff working across BC, including 360 from out of province.
A risk of thunderstorms across southern BC has added an extra element of unpredictability to the firefighting efforts. Officials hope any thunder and lightning is accompanied by rain.
List of Largest Active Fires:
- Gustavsson Fire (West of 100-mile House) – 5700 hectares – 45% containment
- Hansville Risky Creek Complex Fire – 125,000 hectares – 0% contained.
- White Lake Fire – 8107 hectares – 10% hectares
- Wild Wood Complex Fire – 13,215 – 20% containment
- Elephant Hill (previously known as Ashcroft Reserve fire) – 52,600 – 30% contained
