Historically bad B.C. wildfire season could be followed by floods, landslides in affected communities, expert says

The historically bad B.C. wildfire season could potentially be followed by more disasters in the months to come, according to one expert.

“The one real thing we have to worry about is the possibility of flooding,” said Simon Fraser University earth sciences professor emeritus John Clague.

Clague says wildfires can make it extremely tough for affected landscapes to handle severe atmospheric rivers.

“If you remove trees from the land, you end up with a situation where rainfall is not moderated,” Clague said.

The burnt out soil also becomes a major issue, he said.

“It creates a condition where that spongy soil material no longer absorbs water, in fact it repels water,” Clague said. “So you get this rapid runoff from the lack of trees, the lack of vegetation, and this repellant surface."

Clague says the amount of land lost this time around province wide is astonishing.

“It’s collectively equivalent to two thirds of Vancouver Island,” he said. “Imagine all of that being burned, in patches all around the landscape."

Clague pointed to Merrit in 2021, where wildfires and a heat dome were followed by mudslides and flooding. 

He worries West Kelowna could potentially face the same fate in the event of another strong atmospheric river.

“It very likely will cause flooding, landslides, debris flows,” said Clague. “This is something we have to worry about, we have to anticipate this as a possibility.”

Clague said it’s best to attempt to get ahead, and avoid playing catch up after the fact.

“You can look at those burned areas above West Kelowna or Shuswap, where there are properties where people are living, and try and manage the water courses better,” he said.