Mounties in British Columbia’s Interior say human remains found last month have been confirmed as being a woman who went missing near Sicamous nearly eight years ago.

They say the remains were discovered on a rural property in Salmon Arm on May 5, and the BC Coroners Service has since linked them to Nicole Bell.

There’s optimism from firefighters and local authorities as crews battle blazes in opposite corners of British Columbia heading into the weekend.

The District of Squamish is reporting minimal overnight growth in the Dryden Creek fire that triggered a local state of emergency this week, while the BC Wildfire Service expects rain to help suppress the Pocket Knife Creek wildfire in the northeast.

The mayor of Squamish, B.C., said he knew it was a stressful time for residents, as an out-of-control wildfire burns in hills above the community where a local state of emergency was declared this week.

But Armand Hurford said crews are making good progress and the community north of Vancouver is not in immediate danger.

Environment Canada has warned of an “early season heat event” across much of southern British Columbia starting Saturday and persisting into early next week.

The weather office issued more than 30 special weather statements heading into the weekend, saying a ridge of high pressure will bring elevated temperatures that could reach the low 30s on the coast and the mid-30s inland.

A stretch of the Alaska Highway west of Fort Nelson, B.C., reopened to single-lane alternating traffic later Tuesday, but British Columbia’s driving information service says the status of the route could change quickly based on a nearby wildfire.

The DriveBC website shows the out-of-control Summit Lake wildfire is affecting a roughly 162-kilometre stretch of the route, which is also known as Highway 97.

The operators of an ostrich farm in southeastern British Columbia say United States health official and former television personality Dr. Mehmet Oz has offered to save the birds from an impending cull by relocating them to his ranch in Florida.

But Katie Pasitney, whose parents own the farm, says they aren’t interested in moving the flock, although they’re grateful for the support.