During her weekly briefing update on Thursday, B.C. Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma addressed the impact of recent rainfall on the ongoing historic wildfire season. While the rain brought some relief, Ma stated that wildfire and drought conditions in many parts of the province remain “largely unchanged.” The rainfall was insufficient to make a significant difference, and Ma urged all British Columbians to stay vigilant and adhere to regional fire prohibitions and water restrictions.
The devastation caused by wildfires this year has been substantial, with a total of 1,512,635 hectares (15,126 square kilometres) scorched by 1,498 wildfires so far. This represents an increase of over 100,000 hectares since Ma’s previous update on July 18, when the province had already surpassed its previous all-time record for area burned, set in 2018, with 2,117 wildfires burning 1,354,284 hectares.
While the number of active wildfires has decreased in recent days, with 408 still burning as of Thursday morning, there were eight new fires sparked in the previous 24 hours. The wetter and cooler weather did lead to a “slight reset” in the northern half of the province, but officials expressed concern about the South Cariboo, Kamloops, and Southeast fire centres, which did not experience the same relief.
Despite the rainfall, evacuation orders and alerts are still affecting many residents across the province. Approximately 1,060 people are currently under evacuation orders due to the wildfires, with an additional 5,430 under evacuation alert. The majority of those affected are living in the central and southeast regions of B.C.
Every Drop Matters
As drought conditions continue to escalate, 23 out of 34 water basins in British Columbia are now classified as Level 4 or Level 5 on the drought severity scale. The Lower Mainland is one of the regions at Level 4, while Vancouver Island is at the maximum Level 5.
In response to the worsening situation, B.C. Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma reiterated her call for all residents and industrial water licensees to take action in conserving water, emphasizing that every drop is crucial.
Thankfully, some voluntary water consumption reductions have been observed among licensees, and there have been no protection orders issued against any businesses under the Water Sustainability Act so far.
Drought conditions have been exacerbated by high temperatures and minimal precipitation, leading to a snowpack melt that occurred earlier than ever recorded in May, according to the River Forecast Centre.
With warmer-than-normal temperatures expected for the rest of the summer, officials are urging everyone to be vigilant and proactive in water conservation efforts.