An area burned by the Shovel Lake wildfire is seen near Fort Fraser, B.C., on Thursday, August 23, 2018. The B.C. Wildfire Service says that although wildfires have broken last year’s record for the area of land burned, the human impacts have been much lower. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
The B.C. government says although wildfires have broken last year's record for the area of land burned, the human impacts have been much lower.
Fire information officer Kevin Skrepnek of the B.C. Wildfire Service says fires have scorched about 12,520 square kilometres this season, compared with 12,160 square kilometres last year.
He says the service has spent about $316 million to date this season, compared with $442 million for the same date last year.
While Skrepnek says it's too early to say the worst is over, he's optimistic that may be the case.
Lower temperatures and higher humidity has recently worked in firefighters' favour and forecasts suggest that will continue into the long weekend.
He says 512 fires are still active and that number is going down on a day-by-day basis, although five new fires did start Wednesday.
