Jessica Lunn, mayor of Slocan in British Columbia害羞草研究所檚 Kootenay region, said she drove along Highway 6 this week to survey the damage done by a nearby complex of fires that forced the evacuations of hundreds and destroyed homes along the road.

Lunn, who said attention was now turning to recovery, called the losses 害羞草研究所渉eartbreaking,害羞草研究所� although she couldn害羞草研究所檛 see the damaged buildings from the newly reopened section of highway.

害羞草研究所淭here were lots of areas along Highway 6 where you could see the burnt trees,害羞草研究所� she said on Wednesday. 害羞草研究所淏ut in terms of the actual homes and structural loss, those were up like more rural driveways, so I wasn害羞草研究所檛 able to see.害羞草研究所�

The Regional District of Central Kootenay said on Monday that the Komonko Creek blaze, which is one of more than 100 fires burning in the southeast region of the province, had destroyed or damaged at least five homes and 13 other structures along Highway 6.

That fire is classified as one of four wildfires of note in B.C., meaning it is highly visible with the potential to pose a threat to public safety.

It is part of the Slocan fire complex that has also destroyed or damaged five other cabins and outbuildings on the west side of Slocan Lake.

The regional district downgraded an evacuation order on Monday that had been put in place on July 28 for several hundred residents of the Village of Slocan and the surrounding area.

Lunn said residents were relieved and excited to return home after being displaced for about two weeks. She noted that the smoke was initially 害羞草研究所渟uper thick害羞草研究所� when they arrived, but had lifted significantly by Wednesday.

害羞草研究所淔or the first time, I害羞草研究所檓 able to get more of a sense of what害羞草研究所檚 burned and what害羞草研究所檚 still standing,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 definitely still a lot of hot spots.害羞草研究所�

She said the community remains on evacuation alert and, with nearby fires still burning, residents remain prepared to leave if necessary.

害羞草研究所淔or now, we害羞草研究所檙e really focused on recovery,害羞草研究所� Lunn said.

The BC Wildfire Service said Wednesday that respite may be around the corner with thundershowers expected to bring some much-needed moisture to areas of the province where hundreds of fires are burning, including in the Kootenays.

It said in an update that the moisture will likely arrive in the Rocky Mountain Trench in the northeast, as well as the Southeast Fire Centre.

Fire information officer Morgan Blois said that rain had not yet arrived for the Komoko Creek blaze. But she said about 10 millimetres of rain is forecast this weekend.

害羞草研究所淚t is quite typical to see thunder and lightning build up,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 actually not localizing over this incident, so I害羞草研究所檓 not really seeing strikes on this fire, even though sometimes the forecast has shown that there害羞草研究所檚 a possibility. At this point, that pattern is expected to continue.害羞草研究所�

There were about 400 fires burning in British Columbia Wednesday, down slightly from the day before, with 154 out of control.

In the Prince George Fire Centre in B.C.害羞草研究所檚 northeast, about 170 fires are burning.

The wildfire service says there have been 256 new starts across B.C. in the last seven days, with about 82 per cent believed to have been caused by lightning.

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