'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
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
Crypt near Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner could fetch US$400,000 at auction
A one-space mausoleum crypt in the vicinity of Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner will go on auction Saturday, when it is expected to reach between US$200,000 and $400,000.
This Toronto restaurant is no longer accepting tips. Here's how it's going
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff – tipping is no longer accepted.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Premiers not being truthful about carbon tax, Trudeau says while sparks fly in Ottawa
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Conservative premiers across the country are 'not telling the truth' when it comes to the carbon tax. Trudeau's comments came as fresh sparks were flying in Ottawa at a recalled House of Commons committee.
Far North police 'dispatch' polar bear stalking schoolyard
Police and local hunters in an Ontario Far North First Nation community have “dispatched” a polar that was showing abnormal behaviour and treating the area as a hunting ground.
What new auto insurance reforms will mean for Ontarians, if they get introduced
Ontario has among the highest rates for auto insurance premiums in Canada -- just below Alberta and Nova Scotia -- however, the introduction of an insurance reform in the provincial budget could soon lower prices.