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       Thick smoke from the White Rock Lake wildfire fills the air and nearly blocks out the sun just as a motorist travels on Highway 97 in Monte Lake, east of Kamloops, B.C., on Aug. 14, 2021.

       DARRYL DYCK/The Canadian Press

       Cooler conditions on Saturday helped firefighters make some progress against the White Rock Lake wildfire in B.C.’s Interior.

       The Central Okanagan Emergency Operations says although conditions improved Saturday, firefighters still have their hands full battling the blaze.

       Cooler temperatures, calmer winds and some light rain have allowed officials to downgrade several evacuation orders, but the agency says conditions remain “very dry.”

       Alex Van Bruksvoort, the fire chief for North Westside Fire Rescue, says he and the service know residents want to return home but are asking them to wait until conditions are safer.

       The BC Wildfire Service says about 250 blazes are still burning across the province.

       The Ministry of Forests says nearly 8,600 square kilometres have been burned by wildfires since the start of the fire season, and there are more than 3,600 firefighters battling blazes across the province.

       The Mount Law wildfire, also in the Interior, continues to burn out of control and officials say crews will continue suppression efforts.

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