Dry lightning throughout the B.C. Interior Monday night is posing a risk of causing new wildfires.
The Kamloops Fire Centre saw more than 3,000 lightning strikes Monday night, more than double the amount seen Sunday.
Most of the lightning Monday was without precipitation; only the Clearwater area had rainfall.
There is a risk of thunderstorms for the Kamloops and Shuswap regions again on Tuesday.
More than 50 new fires have started in the Kamloops Fire Centre since the weekend.
New wildfires could continue to spark in the near future. Lightning strikes can smoulder in the ground for up to two weeks before a fire ignites.
“The best thing people can do right now is to call in any smoke or flame that they see,” said Fire Information Officer Kelsey Winter. “The other really important thing to remember is there are several active wildfires burning in the Kamloops Fire Centre, so be very careful when you’re travelling through active wildfire areas and be cognisant of people operating in those areas.”
There are 69 active wildfires in the Kamloops Fire Centre, burning a total of more than 4,000 hectares.
To report smoke, flames, or an unattended open fire, call 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 from a cellphone.
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