BC fire and forestry officials are warning residents, travelers and campers across the province to be prepared for increased wildfire risk this long weekend ahead of BC Day on Monday.
“Sustained high temperatures across British Columbia this week are increasing the potential for wildfires,” the forestry ministry said in a press release Thursday afternoon.
“Residents, travelers and campers should be prepared for wildfires and heat, to have an emergency plan and to stay informed as conditions change.”
BC Wildfire Service will closely monitor changing conditions and change aircraft and water crews according to the highest risk.
“For the past two weeks we’ve had above season temperatures, dry air and that has really accelerated the drying of our forest fuels,” Neil McLoughlin, superintendent of predictive services, said in a statement Thursday.
“We’ve also seen the high-elevation snow finally leave, so the forests are now more receptive to ignitions and more available to burn.”
McLoughlin says the biggest concern will be when the heat and humidity start to change.
“As these conditions persist, they are often accompanied by a drastic change in the weather, which is strong winds and lightning,” he said. “We are concerned about new beginnings next week.”
Jean Strong of the BC Wildfire Service told CBC’s The Early Edition on Friday that there have been nearly 400 fires in the province so far this year, about 40 of which are active.
There has been an increase in fire activity over the past two weeks as temperatures have risen, he said, but the numbers are down significantly compared to last year and the province’s 10-year average.
The Nohomin Creek fire northwest of Lytton remains the only major wildfire in the province and is about 24 square kilometers in size, according to the wildfire service.
Crews said temperatures in the area reached 41C on the same day and while there was an increase in fire to high elevations and increased smoke, the fire was not moving at a significant rate.
Bonfires are fine for now
Large open fires are currently banned in all parts of BC, but the forest fire service says people can still enjoy smaller campfires, which means keeping fires to less than half a meter in height and width , and keep water or a tool nearby to keep them under control.
They say there may be different rules and restrictions in other jurisdictions, including provincial parks.
According to BC Parks, there are currently no fire bans in the province.
Strong said the province’s fire centers use an accumulation index, which estimates the amount and dryness of fuel available in the landscape, to determine when to implement a campfire ban.
He said it’s unusual not to have a campfire ban this late in the summer. Fire stations are closely monitoring the situation, Strong said, and a ban could be put in place if conditions change in the coming weeks.
The province is asking people in especially at-risk areas to be prepared to evacuate and says anyone traveling within the province or visiting from elsewhere should check Destination BC for the latest warnings and updates. They are advising anyone to head indoors to avoid unnecessary risk.
With heat warnings in place, officials add it’s important to stay hydrated and have a plan to stay cool.
Water channels affected
As the heat dries out the interior, the River Forecast Center warns that the conditions are also having an effect on BC’s waterways.
“Warm temperatures earlier this week have led to significant snow and glacier melt in the high elevations of the Chilcotin Basin,” the center said in a statement released Friday.
A flood watch has been issued for the Chilcotin region, including the Chilcotin and Chilko rivers and their tributaries, as the center says flows are “slightly above the 10-year return period level and s ‘expect them to increase further over the weekend.’
A flood watch is also in effect for the Lillooet River near Pemberton and high flow advisories cover waterways in the Sea to Sky region as well as the Upper Columbia in southeastern British Columbia and the Nechako Basin west of Prince George, although the center says levels. of rivers and streams fall into it.