Forest fires: BC offers tools so residents are better prepared | Forest fires in Canada

With the snowpack at historic lows in British Columbia and above-normal temperatures expected in the coming days, the provincial government is launching a series of tools to ensure residents are better prepared for the consequences of wildfires .

We are taking strong steps to help you and your family prepare and have the information you need in the event of an emergencysaid Bowinn Ma, the provincial minister of Emergency Management and Climate Preparedness.

Getting ready and feeling ready starts with making a plan. New tools launched today make planning easier and will help people stay safe.

An interactive tool available online (New window) (in English) should thus allow the inhabitants of the province to create a personalized emergency and evacuation plan. The user is invited to answer several questions relating in particular to the composition of their household, or to the natural disasters they are likely to have to face.

This planneras the province calls it, helps people identify emergency meeting places, list important contacts, provides medical and insurance information, recommends supplies for emergency kits and grab-and-go bags, and includes measures to protect homes against forest firesexplains the province in a press release.

It also announced that a major update of the application BC Wildfire Service was made, to make it easier for people to access the latest information about fires and fire bans on their smartphone.

The drought information portal (New window) (in English) has also benefited from an update. The portal provides current and past drought levels, watershed conditions and other data on precipitation, snowpack and groundwater by geographic regionspecifies the province.

Last year, nearly 3 million hectares went up in smoke in British Columbia and 600 homes were destroyed by the flames.

The 2024 forest fire season also promises to be very complicated if certain indicators are to be believed.

The “historically low” snowpack

May, the snowpack in the province is at 66% of normal. Most areas of British Columbia are below normal”,”text”:”As of May 9, the province’s snowpack is 66% of normal. Most areas of British Columbia are lower than normal”}}”>As of May 9, the province’s snowpack is 66% of normal. Most areas of British Columbia are lower than normal, Nathan Cullen explained Thursday. The provincial minister of water, land and resources management thus mentioned a level historically low.

Temperatures expected in the coming days, °C above seasonal norms”,”text”:”10 to 12°C above seasonal norms”}}”>10 to 12°C above seasonal normsaccording to Armel Castellan, meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, should not help matters.

Even if daily records could be reached here or there, temperatures should however remain below those observed last year in mid-Maytempers Armel Castellan, when °C had been reached inside the province”,”text”:”temperatures of 35°C had been reached inside the province”}}”>temperatures of 35°C were reached inside the province.

The next decisive weeks

The meteorologist, however, expects in fairly dry conditions and km/h in the northeast of the province”,”text”:”winds at 50, 60 or 70km/h in the northeast of the province”}}”>winds at 50, 60 or 70 km/h in the northeast of the province.

For these places, it will be a little tricky, because there are fires that have been going on since last year. However, he predicts that the high temperatures and wind should fade from Sunday afternoon.

Although it is difficult to make medium and long-term weather forecasts, Armel Castellan explains that the next six to seven weeks will count.

This is the season for slow-moving cold depressions, which can bring precipitation for several daysadds the scientist.

So we could have them in the interior of the country and in northeastern British Columbia, where they are needed the most. Will it fill the bucket which is pretty empty? It’s possible in part, but completely, no.

We are almost guaranteed to have a pronounced wildfire season for the summer. The question is whether or not there is the possibility of slowing it down and not starting it as early as last yearhe concludes.