Gusty winds expected to make B.C. wildfires worse on Sunday | CBC News

The B.C. Wildfire Service says many of the bigger fires of note grew overnight, including the Tremont Creek fire, which led to the evacuation of the district of Logan Lake and the nearby Highland Valley Copper Mine.

“What we’re anticipating for today is for it to be windy, more windy than yesterday, which will likely result in increased fire activity and potential for growth,” Berg said.

“We did see the winds as forecasted and they did challenge our containment.”

Berg said there are about 270 active wildfires burning in the province, with a total of just under 7,000 square kilometres of land scorched.

Less than 10 square kilometres of land had burned by this time last year, she said, describing 2020 as a particularly quiet year for wildfires.

Berg said the current burned area is about seven times greater than the 10-year average, which is about 1,770 square kilometres.

The two most active years for the service were 2017, when about 9,060 square kilometres of land charred, and 2018, when about 3,880 square kilometres burned.

Anyone placed under an evacuation order should leave the area immediately. 

Evacuation centres have been set up throughout the province to assist anyone evacuating from a community under threat from a wildfire. To find the centre closest to you, visit the Emergency Management B.C. website.

Evacuees are encouraged to register with Emergency Support Services online, whether or not they access services at an evacuation centre.