Winds fan flames in forests

August 19, 2001
Source: Vancouver Province
Original story - link not found on August 19, 2001
By Jason Proctor

B.C. firefighters looked to the weather for relief and their neighbours for help yesterday. Dry lightning storms sparked dozens of new blazes around the province and strong winds threatened to fan flames already devouring Interior forests. Early yesterday morning, Parks Canada crews flew into backcountry campsites in Kootenay National Park to evacuate hikers threatened by a volatile blaze that has already shut the Trans-Canada Highway and blanketed Banff and Lake Louise with a thick pall of smoke. The night before, officials evacuated nearly two dozen guests and staff from Kootenay Park Lodge. Fanned by a wildly unpredictable thunderstorm, the blaze is one of many in the province given a boost by unco-operative weekend weather conditions

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