BC Wildfires: Drenching Rain May Bring Relief, but Also Localized ‘Debris Flows’

A fallen tree burns at the Lower East Adams Lake wildfire, in Scotch Creek, B.C., on Aug. 20, 2023. The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck

Drenching rainfall is being predicted for a broad sweep of British Columbia’s fire-ravaged Interior, bringing up to 80 millimetres of rain and possible relief for fire crews battling blazes that have forcing thousands from their homes.

But the forecast is also associated with warnings of potential localized flooding and “debris flows” as rains hit the fire-scorched landscape.