Almost one year on from the start of the Elephant Hill wildfire—and dozens of other fires—on July 7, 2017, BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) fire information officer Kyla Fraser says that things are “definitely much better” this year.
“Last year we had 3.9mm of rain in Kamloops in June, and so far this year we’ve had 29mm of rain,” she notes. “That sets the scene for how fire season plays out. Last year we had a wet May, and June was bone dry, and this year it’s been the opposite.”
Environment Canada is predicting a hot, dry July and August, but Fraser says that if we can get the occasional bit of rain it will help. However, even with the recent rains, the forest floor is still very dry, which is why off-road travel throughout the area covered by the Elephant Hill wildfire has been banned through December 31, 2018.
A ban on all open fires larger than .5 metres by .5 metres has also been imposed throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre area. “Even if you’re responsible around campfires, you can’t have one bigger than that,” says Fraser. She adds that the fine for having an open fire larger than that is $1,150: not per fire, but per person around the fire. “If you have a fire and there are 10 of you around it, the total fine is $11,500.”
She says that since last year people do have a heightened sensitivity about fire. “People are more aware of fire, and of things like people throwing a cigarette butt out the car window.” She says that people are also more aware of smoke in the area, although often the smoke is from fires as far away as California.
“If we know that people are going to see smoke from a distant fire, we’ll post that information on the BCWS website (http://bit.ly/2HCKBod).” The BCWS is constantly monitoring conditions, and updating the site daily with information about current wildfire activity and wildfires of note, fire bans and restrictions, the fire danger rating (currently low to very low for most of the province), and more. Fraser adds that the FireSmart website (http://bit.ly/2IK0CnW) has a lot of good information for homeowners about fireproofing their properties and homes.
She says that the perception that there is nothing left to burn is wrong. “There are areas within the wildfire boundary that aren’t scorched. Fires are still easily ignited in the back country.
“I hope that after the severe year for fires we had last year that people will have a heightened awareness about fire, and be responsible.”
editorial@accjournal.ca
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