B.C. wildfires likely to spread with weekend temperatures expected to soar, province says

Wildfire and emergency management officials in British Columbia are urging residents to be prepared for increased fire activity as temperatures are expected to soar above 30 C in parts of the province this weekend.

Wildfire and emergency management officials in British Columbia are urging residents to be prepared for increased fire activity as temperatures are expected to soar above 30 C in parts of the province this weekend.

"With these heightened temperatures, we may see an increase in wildfire activity, particularly in the northeast," Bowinn Ma, minister of emergency management and climate readiness, told reporters in Victoria on Thursday.

"I want to encourage everyone, particularly those living in the northeast, to remain vigilant and to be prepared," she added.

The emergency management minister was joined by Forests Minister Bruce Ralston, whose ministry oversees the province's wildfire service, in advising residents to create an emergency grab-and-go kit and make sure home insurance coverage is up to date.

"Many British Columbians are wondering what to expect this wildfire season, especially with the warm weather in the forecast right now, even though it's only May," Ralston said. "There are many active wildfires in British Columbia, and with temperatures expected to climb this weekend, these numbers will likely grow."

According to the B.C. Wildfire Service, 111 fires were actively burning in the province Thursday morning, with two fires near Fort Nelson categorized as out of control.

Wildfire officials are especially concerned about the hot and windy conditions forecast over the next 48 hours in the sparsely populated northeastern reaches of the province, the authorities said.