![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/786\/2022\/08\/Maria-CreekK20927_Unknown-Crew-Member_Fire-Suppression_Aug-10-2_crop-1024x770.jpg\")
<\/figure>Resources who may respond during the initial attack phase include initial attack ground crews<\/a>, parattack and rapattack crews<\/a>, helicopters<\/a>, bird dog aircraft and air tankers<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n Over the last week BC Wildfire Service forecasters called for widespread lightning over several days, followed by high winds. Considering this, resources were strategically placed throughout the province based largely on where lightning was forecast and the receptiveness of local fuels to ignition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The multi-day lightning event began on Wednesday with more than 800 lightning strikes hitting the west coast of Vancouver Island in the morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From Wednesday evening through to Friday lightning continued in the central interior and over to the southeast corner of B.C. On Saturday the weather moved northeast, with 14,000 lightning strikes in the Prince George Fire Centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Across the province:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Each of B.C.\u2019s six regional fire centres have reported high initial attack success following the last several days of lightning and higher winds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since Wednesday there have been 212 new wildfire starts across the province. Unsurprisingly, 80% of those starts were caused by lightning. The cause of 37 of these fires remains undetermined and five were caused by human activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 69% of all of these fires are classified as Out, Under Control or Being Held.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n This means the majority of these fires are extinguished, suppression efforts have ensured the wildfire will not spread any further or that the wildfire is not likely to spread beyond predetermined boundaries under prevailing conditions. Learn more about wildfire stages of control.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n A concerted team effort is required to achieve this level of initial attack success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 236 initial attack firefighters are currently working across the province with an additional 128 on standby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 74 helicopters and 33 air tankers are actively supporting suppression efforts on the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During the height of the lightning activity on August 11 and 12, our air tanker teams dropped 431,407 litres of retardant and 283,560 litres of suppressant on 18 initial attack objectives.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n In addition to this intentional focus on initial attack, sustained action crews remained busy across the province. Most of these crews are currently assigned to our active wildfires of note. For the latest information on each of these refer to the wildfires of note page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/786\/2022\/08\/Lightning-strokes-Aug-10-13-1024x897.png\")
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