Prince George, B.C. – There’s some welcome relief in sight for fire crews in northeastern B.C.

Environment Canada meteorologist Matt MacDonald says we can expect to see some rain beginning this Thursday morning.

“Right now it’s looking like the heaviest precipitation, the heaviest rain, is going to fall south of the major fires but nonetheless Fort St. John should still see 5-10 mm while areas further south like Dawson Creek, Chetywnd will probably see 20-30 mm.”

He says Hudson’s Hope, close to where two fires of note are currently burning, can expect 10-15 mm.

MacDonald says the rain will begin to taper off by Thursday afternoon and should resume Friday evening into Saturday morning.

He says April and May have been unusually warm not just in the northeast, but province-wide.

“If we look at the numbers, it’s been two to four degrees warmer than normal and very little in terms of precipitation.”

Despite the promising forecast, an evacuation order remains in effect for the Beatton Airport Road fire 45 km north of Fort St. John.

That fire is 15,000 hectares in size and 45% contained. The Siphon Creek fire has grown to 66,600 hectares (50,000 hectares in B.C., 16,600 in Alberta) and is 30% contained. An evacuation alert for that fire remains in effect.