UPDATE 1:52 P.M. July 31:

The larger of two lightning-caused wildfires near Heffley Creek, identified as K21136, has now grown to 4.89 hectares, according to the BC Wildfire Service. Crews have deployed 21 personnel to fight the blaze, with air support available as needed.

“We are expected to see increased fire behavior on that incident today, just due to the heat and lower humidity,” said Taylor Stewart-Schanz, information officer with the Campbell’s Fire Centre. “However, humidity is supposed to go up and we’re supposed to get a little bit of cloud cover over the weekend, so hopefully that helps conditions on site as well.”

The fire remains out of control, though no evacuation alerts or travel disruptions are currently in effect. “There are currently no concerns about impacts to travel corridors,” Stewart-Schanz added.

Meanwhile, the smaller fire in the area—originally measured at 0.1 hectares near Lyons Lake—is now listed as under control.

Both fires are suspected to have been caused by lightning during a storm system that passed through the region Wednesday afternoon.

As the long weekend approaches, BC Wildfire Service is asking the public to be especially cautious when recreating outdoors. There is currently no campfire ban in effect in the Campbell’s Fire Centre, but officials urge people to remain vigilant and fire-aware.

Original: The high heat and storm system which rolled over the Kamloops area Wednesday afternoon has left its mark.

The BC Wildfire Service is reporting a pair of new wildfires have broken out in the Heffley Creek area, on the east side of the Yellowhead.

The fires are both listed as less than one hectare in size.

BC Wildfire says a four-person team from the Simpcw Nation were first on scene to help fight the fires, which are listed as 0.1 and 0.4 hectares respectively in the Lyons Creek area.

The larger one is closer to the road leading into Sun Peaks, while the 0.1 hectare blaze is situated to the west of Lyons Lake.

At this point it doesn’t appear that the fires are posing a direct threat to any infrastructure.

However, the precise locations of the fires are still not clear yet.

It comes as temperatures hit around 38 degrees on Wednesday in Kamloops, with the forecast calling for a similar situation on Thursday.

That includes the conditions for more thundershower activity.

Radio NL will update the situation as more information becomes available…