Fire crews brace for lightning strikes
Fire crews around B.C. expect to be busy in the upcoming days as a wave of lightning strikes comes with record-breaking temperatures.
With the wildfire risk now at extreme across many parts of B.C., crews were keeping close watch on a new series of thunderstorms and lightning expected late Monday.
Marg Drysdale of the Coastal Fire Centre said most areas of the province dodged the bullet on Sunday when a series of lightning strikes moved through.
But she said the weather forecast for this week raises concern as lightning strikes are expected at times to be accompanied by strong winds and high temperatures.
About 123 fires are active, most of them very small. Of note is the Elaho Valley blaze near Squamish, where a wildfire of 611 hectares is 45 per cent contained. The stubborn fire has prompted a strong response — 90 firefighters aided by five helicopters.
Drysdale said the public has been co-operating with fire warnings, and they continue to emphasize that people need to be responsible in the wilderness.
“We are asking everybody to be cautious … cigarettes are a huge factor” in starting wildfires, Drysdale said.
“We are hearing from local fire departments,” she added. “They are taking the brunt of that type of behaviour.”
Temperatures have soared across the province, and Drysdale said the tinder-dry conditions are expected for the rest of the week.
“People are aware,” she said of those out in the back country. “They see how dry it is. It is hot, and in some areas it’s up to 38, and people understand the risk.”
The early season has already consumed 62.9 per cent of the province’s $63-million wildfire budget.
Other fires of note include one in the Petitot River area, where 15 people are on evacuation alert, and the Mount Bigfoot fire 90 kilometres southeast of Fort Nelson. The Rock Creek fire in the Crowsnest area, which is about 1,500 hectares, is also being watched.
Environment Canada meteorologist Matt MacDonald said it appears this June will go down in the record books as the fourth-driest on record.
This month only 11 millimetres of rain was recorded at Vancouver’s airport. Typically in June there would be an average of 54 mm. May was even drier, with four millimetres of rain recorded at YVR compared to the normal amount of about 65 mm.
With both months combined, it will be the driest two months on record since 1937.
This June is also expected to be the warmest on record, with the average temperature at 17.6 C, up about two degrees from the average.
“It is supposed to be hot all week,” MacDonald said. “There is no relief in sight.”
jcolebourn@theprovince.com