Canada: British Columbia heat wave setting records, worsening forest fire threat
Pastor Dale Morgan
Canada: British Columbia heat wave setting records, worsening forest
fire threat*
By THE CANADIAN PRESS
VANCOUVER, B.C. — Much of B.C. is baking in record temperatures that are
heating up the forest fire situation and triggering bans on open fires.
Temperature records were shattered Tuesday in several cities, including
Victoria, where the thermometer reached 30.4 degrees, breaking the old
record of 27.3 degrees set 31 years ago.
Records were also set in Squamish, where it was 33 degrees, White Rock
and Pitt Meadows and more records could fall as the heat wave continues.
Meanwhile, a wildfire burning west of Lillooet has scorched 8.5 square
kilometres of bush and forced the evacuation of about 25 homes and
businesses with another 200 people on evacuation alert.
The fire between Gun Lake and Tyaughton Lake has not grown since
Tuesday, is about 15 per cent contained and is being fought by 100
firefighters, nine helicopters and eight air tankers.
The fire threat is also rising on Vancouver Island and the Central and
South B.C. coasts, resulting in a ban on open fires other than camp fires.