B.C.'s wildfires a 'graphic reminder' of climate change, premier says
B.C.'s already troubling wildfire season is only expected to worsen in the days ahead, the province's premier warned Wednesday, calling the current conditions a reflection of climate change.
John Horgan made the comments from outside Southeast Fire Centre offices less than 12 hours after B.C. entered a provincial state of emergency due to wildfires.
"This is a graphic reminder of how climate change is with us, not just intermittently but all the time," Horgan said.
The premier insisted last week that a state of emergency was not yet necessary, saying local governments were already managing resources well. That changed, however, with more fires sparking early this week and worsening weather in the forecast.
"Where (a state of emergency) was of most value to us … was that the weather patterns we're seeing are not going to break up," Horgan said, adding winds could cause the fires to grow.
"We can't predict them the way we could if the winds were not as aggressive and we want to be able to work before an evacuation order is issued."
The state of emergency gives the province power to assure there are enough accommodations available in community spaces if a massive evacuation order is put in place.
Horgan said anyone travelling within B.C. should check local conditions before they leave home.
"In the end people will make their choices and that's entirely up to them. There will be closures in the backcountry, there are now and there will be more coming as fires continue to ignite," he said.
"We have a bad stretch of weather ahead of us, we have winds picking up, these are all bad, bad, bad news for the fire service and for the personnel on the ground and of course it's going to have a profound impact on the economy as well."
As of Wednesday morning, 295 fires are active in the province. Of those, 39 are considered wildfires of note. Five of them are in the Southeast Fire Centre. However, no large fires are currently burning by Castlegar, where the premier was speaking from Wednesday as part of a tour through the Kootenays.
"We've got many, many weeks ahead of us," Horgan said, adding that the province would accept any help other jurisdictions can provide. More than 3,000 firefighters and support staff are battling the blazes, with some having come from Alberta, New Brunswick and Quebec.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.