Hazy skies, dry weather and a call to Australia for help

NEWS/ WILDFIRES — A smoke advisory has been issued for the Kamloops area, but local residents already knew it was there — the sky became increasingly hazy this afternoon with smoke drifting in from wildfires from outside the area.

The advisory covers the Thompson, Fraser Canyon, Okanagan, Similkameen, Nicola, Boundary and Shuswap.

With wildfire activity increasing throughout the province, Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Minister Steve Thomson announced today a contingent of specialized wildfire personnel from Australia will be coming to B.C. to assist with wildfire response.

About 80 personnel are scheduled to arrive in Vancouver in several groups from Saturday through Monday. They include two Type 1 Incident Management Teams (10 people each), incident commanders, fire behaviour specialists, aircraft co-ordinators and support staff.

B.C. has not requested ground crews from Australia. The personnel will be deployed throughout the province and could remain in B.C. for up to five weeks.

Wildland fire personnel from B.C. were sent to Australia in 2007 and 2009 to help respond to busy fire seasons there, since the height of the Australian fire season typically occurs during B.C.’s winter and spring months. Personnel from Australia and New Zealand also were deployed to B.C. to assist with firefighting efforts in 2009.

Hot and dry weather conditions have once again elevated the fire danger rating throughout the province. Most of B.C. is experiencing a “high” to “extreme” fire danger rating, which means that forest fuels are easily ignited. Firefighting crews are on standby in all six of B.C.’s fire centres in preparation for an anticipated increase in fire starts over the next few days.

The Wildfire Management Branch has responded to more than 1,000 wildfires so far this season.