Although it is still early in the fire season, wildfires are burning in most parts of British Columbia.
Figures from the BC Wildfire Service show wildfires have been reported in all parts of the province except the Northwest. The majority are in the Prince George Fire Centre’s coverage area.
The fire activity at this time of year is disturbing, especially when compared to past fire statistics.
In 2017, more than 1.2 million hectares were destroyed by fire. This was the worst fire season on record up to that time.
Then, in 2018, the record was broken when more than 1.35 million hectares were burned.
And in 2023, the province recorded 2,293 wildfires destroying more than 2.84 million hectares of forest. The cost of those wildfires was close to $1.1 billion. Six firefighters died while working on fire suppression during 2023.
The forests burned during that fire season was more than double the amount burned during the second-worst year on record.
So far this year, more than 140,000 hectares have already been destroyed by fire. This figure is far lower than 2023, 2018 or 2017, however, it is significantly greater than the amount burned during the entire fire season in 2022, and around 10 times the amount destroyed by wildfires in 2020.
The statistics do not tell the full story.
During the worst fire seasons in recent years, those living close to wildfires had to evacuate their homes. Throughout the province and beyond, smoke from wildfires resulted in poor air quality, with the most noticeable effects among those with breathing difficulties.
The community of Lytton is still recovering after a wildfire in 2021 destroyed much of the village.
The province’s wildfire season runs from April 1 to March 31, with the number of fires and amount of forest burned normally increasing as the summer progresses.
This year, because of the level of wildfire activity this early in the fire season, there is cause for concern. Temperatures will get hotter in the coming months and the low level of winter snow pack is expected to exacerbate drought conditions increasing wildfire risk.
It may not have come this far, yet, but it is time to make wildfire preparations, individually, as communities and as a province.
The 2024 wildfire season has started aggressively and it is possible this year will be another bad one.
– Black Press
