'When, not if': British Columbians warned to prepare for wildfire evacuations
The provincial wildfire service is warning British Columbians to have a go-bag and make an evacuation plan with this year’s wildfire season off to an alarming start.
The Donnie Creek Complex, which is a melding of what had been four distinct fires, has already burned an area larger than last year’s entire fire season combined – roughly the size of the Lower Mainland – and the number of fires so far is well above the same period last year, as well as the 10-year average.
“For most areas of the province it's a matter of when, not if, you will be threatened by a wildfire,” said BC Wildfire Service fire information officer, Jean Strong. “It's important we prepare as much as possible in advance.”
Natural Resources Canada’s Fire Weather Index shows nearly half the province in the top danger range, with the BC Wildfire Service’s “Danger rating map” showing two thirds of the province as moderate to high risk of wildfire, with pockets of extreme risk.
“Portions of the Donnie Creek wildfire had been aggressive fire behaviour in recent days as organized crown fire fronts advance into volatile black spruce and mature pine stand,” reads the situation report for the province’s biggest wildfire.
YEARS OF DRY CONDITIONS CONTRIBUTING
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s warning preparedness meteorologist for B.C. pointed out that not only was May an exceptionally dry month, but the province has faced drier-than-normal conditions for an extended period of time.
“The precipitation deficit over the entire province is actually multi-season long, you can look back even a couple years and most of the province is behind in precipitation numbers,” explained Armel Castellan.
He added that June is typically the last chance for some intermittent rain to offset or reduce wildfire risk before the dry summer months set in.
“There's so much pressure on the month of June, every single year,” he said, adding the weekend could see a shift. “We do see some potential rain to come for southern B.C.”
HELP FROM OVERSEAS
Unlike in past years when provinces have sent fire crews to each other for help, that’s unlikely to happen with 426 active wildfires already burning across the country.
The natural resources minister says 10 times as much area has already burned compared to normal for this time in the year, and the federal government has already brought in a thousand firefighters to help save homes in the hardest-hit provinces.
The prime minister thanked American, French, Australian, New Zealander, and South African firefighters who’ve been arriving over the course of weeks and announced more are on the way.
“We're engaging with other international partners about more reinforcements over the coming weeks,” said Justin Trudeau.
According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, 24 new fires started across the country today, 17 of them in B.C. Nationwide, the agency is at “Level 5” alert, its highest ranking for danger, fire load and anticipated fires in the next week, with agency resource levels deemed “inadequate.” British Columbia is considered Level 2, with moderate risk and adequate resources.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.