Number of wildfires dropping in British Columbia

The number of wildfires in British Columbia was at 159 on Friday, down from 166 on Thursday and 197 a week ago, the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations said in a press release on Friday.

“With the onset of cool and wet weather, and a positive outlook for the containment of current fires, after today, the province will be discontinuing daily wildfire information bulletins until or unless the wildfire risk increases,” the ministry said on Friday.

The ministry said that there were a total of 17 new wildfires in B.C. as of July 16, compared to 12 new fires the day before. As of noon on Friday, there were 159 active wildfires, with three states of local emergency (for the Cariboo Regional District, Squamish-Lillooet Regional District and Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District) and seven evacuation alerts or orders currently in effect.

As of Friday, approximately 96 properties in the province remained on evacuation order, with over 200 homes and an estimated 300 residents of Tsi Del Del (Alexis Creek) First Nation on evacuation alert. “These numbers will fluctuate as orders and alerts are put into place or rescinded,” the release said.

Related: Evacuation order and alert expanded for aggressive B.C. wildfire

According to the ministry, evacuation orders currently exist in these areas: Cariboo Regional District (affecting 70 properties due to the Puntzi Lake wildfire); Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (affecting three commercial properties and two recreational cabins, due to the Boulder Creek wildfire) and Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (affecting 21 recreational properties, due to the Dog Mountain wildfire).

Evacuation alerts exist in these areas:

• Sunshine Coast Regional District (due to the Old Sechelt Mine wildfire, affecting 21 properties);

• Cariboo Regional District (due to the Puntzi Lake wildfire northwest of Williams Lake, affecting 149 homes);

• Tsi Del Del (Alexis Creek) First Nation (due to the Puntzi Lake wildfire, affecting an estimated 300 residents); and

• Fraser Valley Regional District (due to the Cougar Creek wildfire, south of the Nahatlach River, affecting 38 recreational cabins and two commercial properties).