B.C. storm causes new wildfires, airport delays after more than 7K lightning strikes

British Columbia experienced a powerful storm system on Saturday and Sunday that resulted in more than 7,000 lightning strikes in a 24-hour period. The B.C. Wildfire Service reported that the event sparked new wildfires across the province, with 57 of those fires ignited by lightning. Despite the widespread rain following the lightning, 15 of the new fires were already extinguished.

Currently, there are 172 active wildfires in the province. However, the storm brought more than just fire risks. Vancouver International Airport faced significant disruptions, with flights delayed for hours and many unable to taxi to their gates after landing. Passengers like David Cooper, who had arrived from a flight, described the lack of communication from the airport authority, leading to hours of waiting on the tarmac.

Vancouver International Airport stated that the storm caused the airport to cancel departures from 9:30 p.m. Saturday until 2:55 a.m. Sunday, leading to delayed flights and the activation of their terminal response team to assist passengers. Despite the storm's end, the airport warned that some flights continued to experience delays on Sunday as they worked to restore normal operations.