B.C. residents urged to take shorter showers, conserve water as drought conditions worsen

British Columbians have been asked to take shorter showers and find other ways to conserve water as officials monitor worsening drought conditions in the province.

Half of the 34 water basins across B.C. have already reached Level 4 on the province's drought classification system, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness.

That means adverse effects are "likely" and that regulatory actions such as watering restrictions are "possible." Level 5 is the maximum drought classification under the system.

"At this time, I urge people across the province to conserve water," Minister Bowinn Ma said at a news conference Monday. "Consider taking shorter showers. Only do full loads of dishes and laundry. Water your lawn sparingly."

Officials blamed the conditions on unusually low amounts of rainfall recorded over the last year. Ma noted a number of communities have already imposed local watering restrictions, and said similar restrictions will likely have to be implemented in additional areas over the coming weeks.

"The drought situation is serious," the minister said. "We have not experienced this level of widespread drought across the province this early in the year in recent memory."

If conditions continue to worsen, the government said it may be forced to issue temporary protection orders against water licensees under the Water Sustainability Act. The move would help ensure communities have continued access to drinking water and "avoid significant or irreversible harm to aquatic ecosystems," the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness said in a news release.

Ma urged the public to take voluntary action immediately, calling the need to go above and beyond any local watering restrictions "absolutely necessary."

"We need people to pay attention now," she said. "We are in this together. Do your part."

The drought also caused the tinder-dry conditions that have led to a record-breaking wildfire season in the province, which has already seen more than a million hectares burned.

At the same news conference, officials announced a state of emergency for the Stikine region and a campfire ban for every area of B.C. except Haida Gwaii. 

While discussing the need for a ban, officials noted there were 115 new fires sparked over the weekend, which prompted evacuation orders and alerts in B.C.'s northwest, northeast and Cariboo regions.

Cliff Chapman of the B.C. Wildfire Service said firefighters are being pushed to their limits, even with help from countries such as Korea, France and the Dominican Republic.

"We do not have the capacity right now to respond to fires that we can prevent," said Chapman.

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Lisa Steacy