The number of wildfires continues to tick up in British Columbia as a hot, sunny week ends with thunderstorms and lightning in southern areas of the province.
The latest figures from the BC Wildfire Service show about 85 active blazes, up from 68 on Wednesday, with about two dozen classified as burning out of control.
The service's updated provincial situation report says parts of the Interior and the coastal fire centre saw some dry thunderstorm activity Friday morning.
It says further lightning strikes are expected in the southern half of B.C., including Vancouver Island, throughout the day.
The service says many areas where lightning is striking are hot and dry, with forest fuels highly susceptible to ignition.
Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the Fraser Canyon, Nicola and South Thompson areas, including Lytton and Kamloops, while a higher-level thunderstorm warning has been added to the Similkameen region.
The bulletins span areas that have been subject to an ongoing heat warning.
The weather office says temperatures were expected to dip slightly, but the Fraser Canyon and South Thompson areas would see daytime highs in the mid-30s.
On Vancouver Island, meanwhile, the Transportation Ministry says it is working with a forestry company to reopen Bamfield Main Road after wildfire rendered parts of the route unsafe.
It says a 1.5-kilometre stretch of the road remains closed due to unstable slopes and hazards including falling rocks, dangerous trees, temporary BC Hydro cables running alongside the route and the risk of debris flows in the event of rain.
"Due to the complex nature of the recovery ... the ministry has assumed the lead role for developing a reopening strategy for this section," the statement says.
In the meantime, it says drivers must continue to take a detour through Youbou.
With the once-raging Mount Underwood blaze now classified as being held at its current perimeter, the ministry says crews will begin assessing the area, removing dangerous trees and repairing power poles.
A timeline for reopening will be shared in a few weeks, it says.
The wildfire service's website shows 16 new fire starts over the last 24 hours, with 13 blazes declared out.
The latest fires include clusters in remote areas northwest of Whistler and Pemberton, as well as the northwest Cariboo region.
The wildfire service adds that smoke and haze are visible across much of southern B.C. and may increase over the weekend.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 29, 2025.
Brenna Owen, The Canadian Press
