Two people are dead after a firefighting plane crashed late Saturday whilebattling one of the hundreds of wildfires raging in British Columbia.According to CBC (the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) News, a water bombercrashed just before 9 p.m. PDT Saturday about 10 miles south of the town ofLytton, British Columbia.
There are reports that the crash actually ignited a new fire.
It has been confirmed that the crash killed the pilot and co-pilot, butconditions remain too dangerous for anyone to reach the wreckage. Crews gotwithin 2,000 feet of the crash site Saturday night.
Visibility has been reduced across the area due to smoke from the fires, sothis may be a reason why the plane crashed.
The plane was battling one of the more than 300 forest fires raging acrossBritish Columbia. Over 1,000 firefighters are working against the blazes. Airtankers, helicopters and heavy machinery are providing assistance.
A mild winter, normal precipitation in the spring and dry conditions thissummer have led to forest conditions conducive for the formation ofwildfires.
Four separate evacuation orders remain in effect, and most of the province isin a campfire ban.
A few thunderstorms will occur over southern British Columbia on Monday.
Thunderstorms that spark lightning, but little rainfall threaten to hinderfirefighter efforts.
Showers and thunderstorms will occur over parts of British Columbia the nextfew days. The thunderstorms that produce lightning and not much rainfall mayactually hurt firefighting efforts by sparking new fires.
A cold front may grace British Columbia with more widespread rainfall andcooler temperatures late in the week.
Story by AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Mark Paquette
