Thousands of lightning strikes trigger fresh wildfires in western Canada

Core point

Fresh wildfires have broken out in western Canada, with nearly 34,000 lightning strikes leading to fires and evacuation orders in southern British Columbia. There are currently 25 evacuation orders and 90 active wildfires in the province, with warming and drying conditions expected to worsen the situation. Wildfires fueled by intense heat and lightning storms have burned remote forests across Canada this summer, with smoke drifting to US cities. The Canadian government has mobilized over 5,300 firefighters and 300 aircraft to battle the fires, with additional help from Mexico.