Emergency officials have ordered all residents to evacuate from the B.C. community of Olalla, about 40 kilometres southwest of Penticton, due to the Keremeos Creek wildfire. The unincorporated town, with a population of more than 400, was put under full evacuation orders Thursday afternoon, affecting roughly 200 properties, around 5 p.m. by the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen. A half-hour later, residents from part of the village of Keremeos, B.C., representing nearly 220 properties, were placed on evacuation alert by municipal and regional authorities, “This afternoon, the approaching cold front brought much higher winds than we’ve been seeing over the last couple of days, which increased the fire behaviour,” said Mikhail Elsay, a fire information officer with B.C.’s wildfire service. “We felt like we needed to expand the evacuation orders just to protect the communities that are fairly close to the fire.”
Sustained high temperatures throughout British Columbia this week are increasing the potential for wildfires. Residents, travellers and campers should be prepared for wildfire and heat, to have an emergency plan and to stay informed as conditions change. The BC Wildfire Service is closely monitoring these changing conditions and making necessary preparations with strategic aviation and crew placements. Of note is the potential for widespread lightning when the current weather pattern changes. Wildfire prevention is a shared responsibility. Category 2 and Category 3 open fires are prohibited throughout British Columbia. Campfires are currently permitted within the BC Wildfire Service’s jurisdiction. Escaped campfires can lead to human-caused wildfires, but that does not mean a campfire can’t be enjoyed safely. Patrols will be in place on Crown land.
A large wildfire burning near Lytton, B.C., is smaller than was previously believed, but still remains a threat amid a new heat wave. The BC Wildfire Service says new mapping has found the Nohomin Creek fire, burning about 1.7 kilometres northwest of Lytton, is just under 2,200 hectares in size. The fire, which remains classified as ‘out of control,’ had previously been estimated as more than 2,223 hectares in size. “A warming and drying trend will continue to bring hot and dry conditions this week which could cause an increase in fire behavior,” the wildfire service said in a Monday morning update. Environment Canada has issued heat warnings for much of the province, including the Fraser Canyon area, due to a ridge of high pressure expected to stay in place for about a week.
The Southeast Fire Centre is now the most active in the province. Between Thursday and Saturday, more than 
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JERSEYDALE, Calif. — Firefighters continue to make progress against a huge California forest fire that forced evacuations for thousands of people and destroyed 41 homes and other buildings near Yosemite National Park, officials said Tuesday. Crews battling the Oak Fire in Mariposa County got a break from increased humidity and lower temperatures as monsoonal moisture moved through the Sierra Nevada foothills, said a Tuesday night report by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. After minimal growth Monday and overnight, the blaze had consumed nearly 29 square miles of forest land, with 26% containment on Tuesday, Cal Fire said. The cause was under investigation. “Although good progress continues on the fire, there is much work to be done,” Cal Fire said. …Heavy smoke from the fire drifted more than 200 miles (322 kilometers), reaching Lake Tahoe, parts of Nevada and the San Francisco Bay Area, officials said.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – As conditions remain dry in the western states, the Alabama Forestry Commission is sending firefighters to provide extra manpower to battle wildfires. “I’m constantly fielding requests on a daily basis, at least five to six requests every day, for everything from your basic firefighter all up to those in the command and general staff,” said Balsie Bulter, assistant director of Protection Division of the Alabama Forestry Commission. Bulter added firefighters will go out to states like New Mexico, Colorado and Texas, where they have been more susceptible to fires. As of Thursday afternoon, there have been at least nine people dispatched for wildfires. The assistant director mentioned these fires are different compared to their typical structure fires, as crews are battling fires in different terrains and atmospheres.
BERLIN — A large fire triggered by explosions at an ammunition dump raged Thursday in a major Berlin urban forest on one of the German capital’s hottest days so far this year. A huge cloud of grey smoke hung over the city’s western districts and residents were asked to keep windows and doors shut. A major highway was closed and a train service interrupted, but authorities said no homes or inhabitants were under direct threat. More than 100 firefighters, dozens of soldiers and police officers were battling the blaze in the Grunewald forest, located in west Berlin. In addition, army tanks cut corridors into the forest to contain the fire and allow firefighters to get closer to the flames. …Massive explosions were heard in the morning from the site where old ammunition from World War II, fireworks and explosive ordnance is stored and controlled explosions are carried out.
Moroccan firefighters stepped up their efforts on Wednesday to contain forest fires, fanned by fierce winds, that are sweeping across the north of the country, according to local authorities. In the most affected province of Larache, south of Tangier, intervention teams supported by the army were attempting to keep in check fires that were still active and threatening villages, local sources told AFP on Wednesday night. Three Canadair firefighting aircraft made 25 runs over the day. More than 900 families from 15 villages were also evacuated as a preventative measure, the same sources said. …According to agriculture minister Mohamed Sadiki, who also oversees the country’s forests, the total area affected by the recent fires has reached 10,300 hectares. By comparison, 2,782 hectares of forest were destroyed by 285 fires between January and September 2021. Morocco has for several weeks been gripped by scorching temperatures amid abnormally intense drought and stress on water supplies.
Vast swathes of fire-ravaged pine forest must be replanted and managed differently to avoid future blazes fuelled by global heating, French experts have said, as wildfires – several caused by arson – continued to burn across France and Spain. Officials in the south-west Gironde département said on Monday that two huge fires … were both under control, although still burning. …As thoughts turned to replanting, French forestry experts say that not only the choice of species but also much tougher forest management rules would be critical in combating future wildfires amid the growing climate crisis. …France’s civil protection service said a top priority must be easy access for firefighters. …Other measures include public information campaigns, starting as early as primary school, on the significantly increased risks of forest fires, with statistics showing that about 90% are originated – either accidentally or deliberately – by humans.:format(webp)/https://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/news/world/europe/2022/07/23/greece-battles-4-major-wildfires-hotels-homes-evacuated/20220723120736-62dc24370e4c200aa5824fdejpeg.jpg)
