Skip to content

Lightning spawns wildfires

Kamloops Fire Centre gets 871 lightning strikes, eight fires in 24 hours
7804414_web1_St.-Ives-fire-map
A two-hectare fire is burning on Angle Mountain above the North Shuswap community of St. Ives. A helicopter tanker and a fire crew are on their way to fight the remote fire. -Image credit: B.C. Wildfire Service map

A two-hectare wildfire is burning on Angle Mountain above St. Ives in the North Shuswap.

Kamloops Fire Centre fire information officer Max Birkner says a helicopter tanker is enroute and a fire crew will be sent in to the fire, which is burning in steep terrain as well.

Birkner says there were 871 lightning strikes in the entire Kamloops Fire Centre in the past 24 hours, eight of which have started fires.

Lightning is known to have sparked four fires in the Salmon Arm Fire Zone – a remote 1.5 ha fire on Mt. Griffin, and spot fires at Anstey Beach, Kingfisher and Mt. Hilliam.

Birkner could not confirm if the fire above St. Ives was ignited by lightning, but a violent storm moved through the area yesterday afternoon.

Action is being taken on all of the fires, says Birkner, noting wildfires are prioritized, with action taken on ones closer to people and their properties first.

More information will be shared as it becomes available.