Cold front threatens B.C. wildfires as nearly 1,800 properties face evacuation

A dangerous cold front is expected to sweep southern British Columbia this long weekend, fanning out-of-control wildfires and creating treacherous firefighting conditions across the province.

The BC Wildfire Service warns that strong winds combined with little to no rain will lead to challenging conditions for crews already battling nearly 110 active wildfires, 48 of them considered out of control as of Saturday morning. The tinder-dry atmosphere also means new lightning-caused wildfires are likely to ignite.

The Pear Lake fire has grown to more than 900 square kilometres, prompting the Thompson-Nicola and Cariboo regional districts to issue a large swath of evacuation orders. More than 1,800 properties covering an area more than 70 kilometres long and 65 kilometres wide have been ordered evacuated, with evacuation alerts expanding even further around the perimeter.

The T'it'q'et First Nation near Lillooet also issued an evacuation order overnight due to the Riley Creek Wildfire, affecting T'it'q'et Indian Reserve #2, Towinock, and Indian Reserve #3, Kilchult.

For Toronto residents with family or connections in B.C., the escalating crisis underscores how wildfire seasons are becoming more intense across Canada. The federal government has deployed additional aircraft and firefighting resources, but weekend conditions are expected to be some of the worst of the season.