UPDATED: 11:30 a.m.
British Columbia害羞草研究所檚 political leaders were to meet Sunday with people forced out of their homes by wildfires that are threatening a number of communities in the province害羞草研究所檚 central interior.
Premier-designate John Horgan was in Kamloops, where he害羞草研究所檒l also visit emergency operations centres that are dealing with what his team called the 害羞草研究所渨orsening wildfire crisis害羞草研究所�. Outgoing premier Christy Clark was also set to visit Kamloops.
Ground and air crews are battling hundreds of out-of-control wildfires amid continuing hot, dry and often windy conditions that are making it a difficult struggle.
There are 230 active wildfires burning across the province, said Kevin Skrepnek, chief information officer for the BC Wildfire Service.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 safe to say the majority of these fires are burning out of control,害羞草研究所� he said.
The hardest-hit regions are the central and southern Interior. There are also a number of major blazes burning in northern B.C. but at this point they害羞草研究所檙e not posing as immediate a threat as the fires further south, he said.
A provincewide was declared after more than 173 fires ignited Friday. The government said it would allow it to more easily coordinate a response to the crisis.
Related: More than 180 wildfires burning across B.C.
On Saturday, the winds eased slightly, but 98 new fires sprang up and existing fires grew in size, Skrepnek said.
The three biggest fires range in size from approximately 14 to 20 square kilometres and have forced thousands of people from their homes in the communities of , 105 Mile House, 108 Mile House,
Precise evacuee numbers for the entire province were not immediately available Sunday, but the Cariboo Regional District estimated that as many as 6,000 people were forced from their residences. New evacuation orders affecting dozens of homes were issued on Sunday.
The province has been marshalling all the personnel it can to battle the flames, protect property and try to keep people safe.
More than 1,000 firefighters are on scene, supported by heavy equipment and helicopters. Another 600 personnel are backing them up, plus some 200 contractors. An additional 300 firefighters are being recruited from other parts of Canada and are expected to arrive in B.C. on Monday and Tuesday, Skrepnek said.
Despite the crews害羞草研究所� efforts, Cache Creek Mayor John Ranta said a fire burning between Ashcroft and Cache Creek had destroyed dozens of buildings, including at least five houses, 30 trailer park homes and two hangars at a regional airport.
害羞草研究所淲e have tremendous sympathy for the challenges we are all collectively facing,害羞草研究所� Ranta said.
Hundreds of people gathered in a conference room at Thompson Rivers University Saturday evening where an information session was held for wildfire evacuees.
Rob Schweizer, manager of the Kamloops Fire Centre, said it had been an unprecedented 24 hours.
害羞草研究所淲e probably haven害羞草研究所檛 seen this sort of activity that involves so many residences and people in the history of the province of B.C.,害羞草研究所� he said.
害羞草研究所淚 can only imagine what the last 24 hours have been like for the people here in this room. Our hearts go out to you. It害羞草研究所檚 a very stressful and trying time.害羞草研究所�
Cliff Chapman, the deputy manager at the Kamloops Fire Centre, suggested
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e been in this business for 17 years, from crew all the way up to where I am now, and I haven害羞草研究所檛 experienced a day like we experienced yesterday.害羞草研究所�
Ground and air crews are preparing for another day battling dozens of out-of-control wildfires that drove thousands of residents from their homes in British Columbia害羞草研究所檚 central Interior.
The continuing hot, dry and often windy conditions are making it a desperate struggle, one that evacuees throughout the region are watching with increasing anxiety.
