Heat wave and smoke bring increased danger of fires to B.C.’s south coast
Fire danger ratings in many parts of B.C.’s south coast are expected to increase from high to extreme this week as scorching temperatures and warm, smoky winds further dry out local forests.
Environment Canada has also issued special weather statements for much of B.C.’s south coast, warning of a heat wave due to a “massive ridge of high pressure,” with temperatures expected to be in the mid to high 30s through Thursday. Air quality advisories are in effect for most of southern B.C. due to smoke.
“We are expecting this weather pattern to bring on some higher fire danger ratings,” said Paula Mackay, a fire information officer with the B.C. Wildfire Service.
As of Tuesday evening, the B.C. Wildfire Service’s fire danger ratings were high for much of B.C.’s south coast with pockets of extreme danger on southern Vancouver Island. Mackay said that heat and wind are drying out forest fuels, such as grass, brush, shrubs and the trees themselves, making coastal forests more susceptible to wildfire and making it more difficult for firefighters to put out existing fires.
Kevin Skrepnek, B.C. Wildfire Service’s chief fire information officer, said fire danger ratings are based on a number of different factors, including information from more than 200 weather stations in the province.
“Now, certainly looking at coastal B.C., most areas are already high if not extreme,” Skrepnek said. “Given the weather forecast it has nowhere to go but up.”
As ratings do go up in the coastal region, Skrepnek said regulations around industrial activities in the forests will be activated and recreational areas could be closed as a precaution. Firefighters are on standby in all of B.C.’s six fire centres in preparation for an anticipated increase in fire starts over the next few days due to unsettled weather in the forecast, which may bring lightning.
Nearly 4,000 people — firefighters and support staff — are fighting wildfires in B.C., including 761 from out of province. On the weekend, 27 firefighters from the U.S. came to join the effort and 108 Mexican firefighting personnel will arrive later this week.
Firefighters from the Coastal Fire Centre — which covers B.C.’s southwest — have been dispatched to areas like the Cariboo Fire Centre to help fight wildfires that have seen thousands of people evacuated from their homes over the past few weeks.
When asked if those firefighters would come back to their home fire centre in preparation for dry conditions, Mackay said for now they would “wait and see how it plays out.”
“We did send some crews up, but we have sufficient resources to respond to fire starts on the coast,” she said. “As they cycle back we will still send crews to take their place until something changes.”
According to the B.C. Ministry of Environment’s air quality health index, the air quality health risk in Metro Vancouver was low as of Tuesday evening. However, it was high in Whistler and the eastern Fraser Valley and moderate in central Fraser Valley. It remains high in Kamloops and the Okanagan.
The City of Vancouver is encouraging people to visit the city’s air-conditioned facilities and has installed temporary water fountains and implemented a hot weather support plan for vulnerable residents.
The City of Richmond has closed a number of parks and trails due to fire risk and instituted a prohibition on all outdoor fires and barbecues — both charcoal and propane — in all city parks and trails. Metro Vancouver raised the fire danger rating from high to extreme in two of eight watershed areas on Tuesday and expects to raise the rating in three more areas on Wednesday.
We are expecting this weather pattern to bring on some higher fire danger ratings.