About 20 heat warnings are still in effect for some parts of British Columbia on Wednesday.
Warnings have been lifted across Vancouver Island, the South Coast and the Lower Mainland but remain in place for the southern Interior, where high temperatures are expected to last into Thursday.
Nearly 40 communities set daily temperature records across B.C. on Tuesday, according to Environment Canada. The temperature hit 40.6 C in Kamloops, shattering the 38.6 C record set in 2015. Kelowna also set a new high of 39.3 C.
Lytton, which is often the hottest place in Canada this time of year, hit 42.5 C.
The hot weather along with lightning has prompted an evacuation order for a community in northeastern B.C.
The Fort Nelson First Nation issued a wildfire evacuation order on Tuesday for a remote riverside reserve, telling residents and visitors they must immediately leave by boat.
The order covers the Kahntah Reserve, about 115 kilometres southeast of Fort Nelson.
Highway 77 — a 138-kilometre road that starts just northwest of Fort Nelson and runs north to the Northwest Territories — closed due to a wildfire on Tuesday evening and remains closed as of early Wednesday, according to DriveBC. The traffics service said it would provide an update on the highway closure at noon PT.
Campfire ban coming soon
A provincewide campfire ban is also coming into effect at noon on Friday, with the sole exception in B.C. being the Haida Gwaii Forest District.
The ban is being put into place because of the risk of increased wildfire, as a cold front is forecast to sweep across northern B.C. on Wednesday bringing strong winds, thunderstorms and the potential for dry lightning.
Southern parts of B.C. could also receive wind and dry lightning, the B.C. Wildfire Service said.