The number of wildfires in British Columbia surged past 180 over the weekend, up from about 125 on Friday, as the province recorded 11,000 lightning strikes. An update from the BC Wildfire Service said a subtropical weather system brought hot temperatures and lightning that sparked fires throughout southern B.C. But it said crews were prepared for the storm that also brought significant rainfall, helping to moderate fire behaviour in a summer that’s otherwise been very dry. The service said 75 per cent of the new fires sparked during the storm had already been classified as held, under control or out by Monday. With that, the number of active blazes ticked down to just below 180 later Monday. The service has warned of the return of hot, dry and windy conditions this week. …About a third of B.C.’s active fires are burning out of control, including four major wildfires of note — the Pear Lake fire in the Cariboo, the Bald Range fire in Summerland, B.C., and the Ainslie Creek and Brunswick Creek fires in the Fraser Canyon.

Related content in the Victoria Times Colonist, by Michael John Lo: Lightning sparks several new wildfires across Vancouver Island