Environment Canada maintains warnings for a portion of northeastern B.C. and the southern half of the province and has expanded air quality statements across southern Alberta. It warns that the fine particles contained in the smoke are likely to increase during the day. BlueSky Canada’s smoke forecast map shows little relief from the dark conditions over the next 72 hours. Fires contributing to the smoke include a 287 square kilometer fire near Hudson’s Hope in northeastern BC that has forced more than 1,000 people from their homes. The BC Wildfire Service says crews are working to contain the east side of the suspected lightning-sparked fire, which threatens Hudson’s Hope as well as the WAC Bennett Dam, a key electricity generator for the province. The flames were just four kilometers from WAC Bennett Dam on Monday afternoon. “These dams and their generating stations are vital public infrastructure. In light of this, both facilities will continue to operate with limited staffing,” BC Hydro said in a statement. The agency said it is also possible to operate the dam remotely if necessary, and that its structures are made of concrete and are not easily destroyed by fire. The fires east of Vancouver also led to evacuation orders and alerts west and east of Hope, as well as the closure of eastbound lanes of Highway 1. One eastbound lane has reopened. The Flood Falls Fire, which has been rated out of control, is burning on very steep terrain, which has made accessing it a challenge for fire crews on the ground. The fire service has deployed helicopters to contain the eastern and western flanks of this fire. The mayor of the District of Hope told CBC’s The Early Edition that smoke was complicating firefighting efforts. “The visibility is so bad they can’t fly in and even the helicopters are having trouble getting close enough at times,” said Mayor Peter Robb. He says air quality remains poor in his community and the wildfire situation remains largely unchanged. “It continues to grow and move westward,” he said. “It’s taking away from our community, so it’s going to impact more [the communities of] Laidlaw and Popkum, but as of last update … no buildings or properties [in Hope] currently affected.” The Fraser Valley Regional District has issued evacuation orders for five properties in Laidlaw, about 14 kilometers southwest of downtown Hope.
