An Environment Canada Meteorologist says B.C. could be in for a long battle with wildfires burning in the province.

Brian Proctor says July isn't even the busiest month for the province with wildfires.  "B.C. typically is the most active from wildfires in the month of August, so we've still got a ways to go from that perspective and bring that under control.  They've had a temporary respite with rains this week, but if we start to flare up heat again, it's going to get worse."

You wouldn't think it could get much worse for the province, as Proctor fills in the numbers and statistics so far this year.  "Currently there are still 152 wildfires burning across B.C.  They've got 18 active wildfires throughout the southeast fire centre so there's still a lot going on.  To date 718 fires have burned about 410,000 hectares in the province."

45,000 people had been evacuated, however evacuation orders for Princeton and 100 Mile House have been lifted and downgraded to alerts, allowing many people to return to their homes, at least temporarily.   Residents have been advised that they still need to be ready to leave the area again if conditions worsen.  

Proctor says firefighters did get a little relief with rain earlier this week, but it wasn't anywhere near enough.  "They did get some rainfall in that area that was very, very welcome, we've still a long way from being able to state that things are things are getting back under some semblance of larger control."

Officials in B.C. were concerned that warmer weather and strong winds being forecast could reinvigorate some fires.  

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