British ColumbiaThe wildfire service has warned that hot, dry and windy weather in southern B.C. could intensify fire behaviour, while a cold front later in the week could also bring winds and further fuel blazes.Hot, dry, windy weather could intensify fire behaviour: B.C. Wildfire ServoceThe Canadian Press · Posted: Aug 11, 2025 4:46 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 hours agoThe north flank of the Wesley Ridge fire on Vancouver Island is seen on Aug. 8, 2025. The fire is now no longer expected to grow beyond current perimeters. (B.C. Wildfire Service)Hundreds of residents who were forced out of their homes by a wildfire burning near Cameron Lake on Vancouver Island are being allowed to return. The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) has posted an update removing 257 properties from its evacuation order, although residents remain on alert and must be ready to leave right away. The district said 37 properties in Little Qualicum River Village remain under evacuation order due to the six-square-kilometre wildfire that is now classified as being held.The B.C. Wildfire Service updated the status of the Wesley Ridge blaze, burning about 60 kilometres northwest of Nanaimo, saying it’s not expected to grow beyond its existing containment lines.An update from the wildfire service on Monday said the Wesley Ridge fire did not grow Sunday and was displaying mostly rank-one fire behaviour, a “smouldering ground fire with no open flame.”The service said crews were continuing efforts to improve containment lines, while directly attacking the fire along its northern, western and eastern flanks.However, a heat warning has been issued for the region where the fire is burning, and firefighters say localized smoke could get more intense as a result.”With this drought and these warm, dry weather conditions, we’re going to continue to see smoke from the Wesley Ridge wildfire for weeks, if not months,” said Madison Dahl, a fire information officer, at a news conference on Monday morning.The Wesley Ridge wildfire burns north of Cameron Lake on Vancouver Island August 1, 2025. Smoke from the blaze could linger for months, officials say. (Submitted by B.C. Wildfire Service)Douglas Holmes, the emergency operations director for the RDN, said that anyone returning to their homes on Monday would have to be very careful, as firefighters would still be in the area for some time.”Because there is smoke, that means there are hot pieces in the forest, and people ought to stay away from the forest and stick to their properties,” he said.The Daves Creek wildfire, which forced a tactical evacuation of about 25 properties east of Kelowna, B.C., over the weekend, is considered being held by the B.C. Wildfire Service, and residents have been told they can return to their homes. (Submitted by B.C. Wildfire Service)Meanwhile, an update from the B.C. Wildfire Service shows the Daves Creek blaze that forced a tactical evacuation of about 25 homes east of Kelowna, B.C., over the weekend is no longer expected to grow beyond its 2.5-hectare perimeter.All residents evacuated on Sunday can now return home, while Central Okanagan Emergency Operations said three addresses are subject to evacuation alerts. Heat warnings in placeThe wildfire service had warned that fire behaviour could intensify with hot, dry and windy weather in southern parts of B.C., where Environment Canada has issued a series of heat warnings stretching from the coast to the Kamloops area.The weather agency said eastern and inland parts of Vancouver Island, as well as the Sunshine Coast and the Sea-to-Sky region, will see daytime highs reaching 30 C.The mercury was expected to hit 33 C in Metro Vancouver, while temperatures near 35 C were expected in the Fraser Canyon, South Thompson and South Okanagan areas.There are just under 100 active fires across B.C., with 63 per cent of active wildfires considered under control, while 26 per cent are being held and 11 per cent are considered out of control.Around 105 fires have been declared out in the last seven days.The wildfire service says 72 of the currently active fires have been started by lightning, according to the wildfire service. Twenty have been human-caused, while the origin of eight fires remains undetermined. With files from CBC News
2 B.C. fires that forced Okanagan, Vancouver Island evacuations now being held
