Photos: Devastating wildfires trigger air quality concerns, evacuation orders in northwestern US and British Columbia

There are currently over 450 fires burning across British Columbia, Canada's westernmost province, with hundreds of residents under evacuation orders or warned that they should be ready to leave their homes at a moment's notice.

The highest concentration of fires is over central British Columbia, west of Prince George and across southeastern British Columbia.

British Columbia declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, Aug. 15, due to the wildfires threatening the Pacific Coast province.

The wildfires have contributed to dangerous air quality conditions. sparking air quality advisories throughout British Columbia and the northwestern United States. Locations as far away as Minnesota are experiencing smoky conditions and poor air quality from the fires burning 1,000 miles away.

The British Columbia Wildfire Service says more than 1,800 wildfires have been recorded since the season began on April 1, charring nearly 3,800 square kilometers of timber and bush. This is over three times the average.

The federal government has approved the deployment of resources and about 200 members of the armed forces to help with firefighting efforts, according to AP News.

The combination of above-average temperatures, an average of 2 to 3 degrees Celsius above normal since June 1, and abnormally dry weather since late spring has helped set the stage for rapidly spreading fires this summer, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson.

A persistent area of high pressure over western Canada has trapped much of this smoke close to the ground throughout the region. Under the high pressure, light winds and temperature inversions do not allow the smoke to disperse.

A change to much cooler weather with opportunities for rainfall late this week and again early next week may offer some relief.

"Unfortunately, we expect the winds to increase with this change, which may cause some fires to spread more rapidly. The stronger winds should help disperse some of the thick smoke farther east into the Prairies," Anderson said.

There is a high fire risk through early October with above-normal temperatures and near-normal rainfall.

"As we get into late October and November, weather conditions should be much more favorable for firefighting efforts," Anderson said.

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