A recent spate of lightning strikes is keeping emergency responders busy in southern B.C. this week.

Large wildfires are burning southeast of Golden, near Shuswap, and northwest of Cranbroook.

"There are several other fires burning throughout the Southeast Fire Centre as a result of recent and ongoing lightning strikes," reads a July 21 update issued by the B.C. ministry of forests, lands, and natural resource operations. "These fires are not currently affecting any communities or structures and are being addressed in priority sequence."

At 54 hectares, the wildfire burning outside Golden, called the Hobo Creek Fire, is the largest of the bunch. "On site, there are 41 personnel, four helicopters, four water tenders and heavy equipment," the ministry's update reads.

Another fire only slightly smaller burned over the weekend in a remote area northeast of Slocan, just outside of Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park. "Three firefighters and one helicopter are on site Saturday," the release states.

A much larger fire that was sparked on July 17 continues to burn four kilometres south of Peachland.

"Last night, a number of crews patrolled containment lines on the Mt. Eneas #BCwildfire to ensure the continued protection of priority values," reads a B.C. Wildfire Service update posted on Twitter this morning (July 23).

https://twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo/status/1020753607610707969

A campfire ban is in effect across southern B.C., where the fire danger rating remains either "high" or "extreme", depending on the specific location.

"The B.C. Wildfire Service is reminding members of the public to stay clear of firefighting aircraft that are collecting water from lakes and other bodies of water," adds the ministry's release. "Recreational boaters should stay clear, as their presence in the water interferes with BC Wildfire Service’s ability to fight a fire, since a pilot cannot collect water when a boat is in its intended flight path."