Drought levels in the Elk-Flathead Basin region have fallen from Level 3 to Level 0 since last week thanks to recent wet weather.
It’s also a notable drop from June 20 when the region was at Level 5 to start the summer.
The province measures drought on levels zero (normal or wetter-than-normal conditions) to five (extremely dry).
The Creston area also saw a decrease. They are now at Level 3 compared to Level 4 the week prior.
The Kootenay River region which covers Cranbrook, Kimberley and parts of the Columbia Valley is still on Level 3 drought conditions.
While it’s still relatively early into fire season and conditions can change quickly, decreases across the region are a welcome sight.
“We know dry conditions make it easier for lightning strikes and strong winds to start wildfires. Those fires can also burn, spread and combine for longer periods of time in dry conditions,” said BC River Forecast Centre acting director of drought operations Doris Leong.
“One of the first ways we see the impacts of drought is through increased wildfire activity, so it’s important to stay aware of the drought and wildfire conditions throughout the summer.”
The BC River Forecast updates the current drought conditions every Thursday through the summer.
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