Scientists warn extreme heat wave that preceded Lytton fire may not be isolated event
In the days leading up to the devastating fire in Lytton temperatures in the village repeatedly shattered Canadian records during an extreme heat wave gripping the province, which also saw a sharp rise in sudden deaths in B.C.
Now university professors following the impacts of climate change say this kind of intense period of heat will likely not be an isolated event, and more action needs to be taken now.
Earth Sciences Professor Emeritus at Simon Fraser University John Clague said the so-called “heat dome” arrived following a stretch in June with little precipitation.
“That kind of exacerbated the problem and really dried out the soils, the vegetation, the forests,” he said. “We’re in a very, I would say, very dangerous situation right now.”
During the heat wave, the highest recorded temperature in Lytton pushed close to 50 degrees Celsius.
“We’re just the first day in July, and the ground is dry. It’s tinder dry,” he said in an interview with CTV News Thursday. “As a scientist, I’m very reluctant to attribute any single event to climate change, but this has the fingerprints of climate change all over it.”
Clague said the air stream that controls our climate is now behaving in irregular ways, and drawing air in from areas that are prone to hot weather.
“The foundation of our climate is changing, and we can expect more events of this type,” he said. “It’s not just that (the) climate’s going to get one or two degrees warmer on averages globally, it’s these extremes that we can expect that are driven by the total change in the climate system.”
More extreme heat events aren’t the only possibility. Clague said climate change can also contribute to intensely cold polar vortexes in the winter.
“So we should think of extremes as extremes on both ends,” he said. “And neither of them is good.”
Fellow SFU professor and co-director of the Centre for Natural Hazards Research Brent Ward said the heat wave was a “symptom” of what’s expected with increased climate change associated with greenhouse gases.
“Conditions just combine to give us something that is way out there, like way beyond statistical norms,” he said. “Sure, it’s a weather event, but it’s a symptom of climate change.”
Ward said there’s also worries about the ripple effect of these extreme events causing other types of damage: for example, debris flows once the rains hit after a wildfire, that then enters waterways and affects fish habitats. He added higher temperatures melting permafrost and perennial snow packs can also trigger landslides.
“All the signs are there. We’re seeing an increase in air temperature, we’re seeing an increase in water temperature, we’re seeing glaciers receding, we’re seeing sea ice extents reducing,” he said. “This is the biggest hazard facing humanity right now.’
Executive director of SFU’s Adaptation to Climate Change Team Deborah Harford said while more frequent extreme weather events like the recent heat wave are a projected effect of climate change, there is still a chance to keep conditions from becoming “unliveable.”
“We have some control over just how much and how high the heat gets and how often, by how fast we reduce our emissions,” she said. “While we plan to prepare for these things, we have to think very carefully about how we’re not making the problem worse in our responses.”
Despite how far things have come, there is agreement amongst the professors that it’s not to late to make a change.
“We have to do this transformative action as fast as we can, for our benefit but especially for the benefit of our children, our grandchildren, and the generations after that,” Harford said.
Ward said governments need to legislate changes that help combat climate change.
“We have to change the political climate. It’s got to be informed by science,” he said.
Clague said he feels there are encouraging changes taking place, but they’re not happening quickly enough.
“I think there’s inertia in people’s behaviour that collectively poses a problem,” he said. “The longer we kind of put off being more proactive in dealing with the problem, the more adaptation is going to be required.”
Fire damage is seen in Lytton, B.C., on Thursday, July 1, 2021. (Michele Brunoro / CTV News Vancouver)
A photo from CTV News Vancouver's Michele Brunoro shows some of the damage in Lytton, B.C., on Thursday, July 1, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.