Photo: BC Wildfire Service

Narcosli Creek wildfire

Thousands of people living in Central and Northern British Columbia are keeping a close watch on winds and weather as wildfires have the potential to threaten more homes.

No new evacuations or alerts were issued early Monday, offering some respite in the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako and Cariboo Regional District after officials in both regions spent Sunday expanding orders around nearly two dozen blazes.

Roughly 1,600 residents of Fort St. James and close to 2,000 more around West Quesnel have been advised to be ready to leave as aggressive fires rage to the west of both those areas.

Thousands more across B.C. are affected as the BC Wildfire Service lists more than 145 new wildfires sparked over the weekend, bringing the total number of active blazes in the province to nearly 600.

Of those, the wildfire service says 47 are close to homes or infrastructure such as roads.

Environment Canada also blames wildfire smoke for the air quality advisories that now blanket most of central and southern B.C., and forecasters say another round of hot and dry weather is expected to linger over the province for at least a week.