FORT ST. JOHN -- Northeast BC is about to get a strong taste of summer that will see temperatures skyrocket starting on Sunday
Environment Canada is forecasting temperatures in most parts of the province will climb into the 30’s and the stretch of heat will likely be 10 degrees above seasonal averages.
While it’s been a relatively quiet start to BC’s wildfire season, next week’s forecast is threatening to change that.
On Wednesday Environment Canada issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for several parts of BC including Fort St. John and the Fort Nelson area.
The weather service said conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms that may be capable of producing large hail and heavy rain.
The BC Wildfire Service said with the warmer and dryer weather coming, there's a potential that new wildfires could be sparked by lightning.
'This warming and drying trend can exacerbate the already dry conditions in some regions. And as forest fuels dry out, they become very susceptible to new ignitions. And wildfires can spread rapidly,' said Jaedon Cooke with the Wildfire Service.
The biggest area of concern is in Northeastern BC. But the Wildfire Service said it expects the coming months to be less active than last year's record-breaking wildfire season.
