Ladysmith Fire Rescue is asking the public to be prepared as hot and dry weather conditions on Vancouver Island increase the threat of possible wildfires.
Ladysmith Fire Rescue said it has responded to multiple calls for bush fires in the past month, including a fire near Christie Falls on Sunday. While the fires were contained due to a rapid response, they had the potential to affect the community, Ladysmith Fire said.
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With the exception of fires resulting from a lightning storm over the weekend, all of the bush fireswere determined to be human-caused.
“We live in a beautiful rainforest on Vancouver Island. Thick forest has its beauty, but during this time of year, it also has its risks,” Ladysmith Fire Chief Chris Geiger said in a statement.
“Dry forest is an excellent fuel source, and can very quickly become problematic for us. Whether by intent or by accident, the outcome is the same and poses a risk to all of us in the Town of Ladysmith.”
Currently, the recreational weekend gate access is closed to Mosaic lands until further notice due to fires resulting from recent lightning strikes.
Public access will resume when it is safe, and active wildfire fighting is complete.
On Vancouver Island, there are seven wildfires burning. Six are under control and the six-hectare fire at Meade Creek is being held.
While there has been rain on Vancouver Island the past two days, forecasts show mainly sunny and cloudy conditions across parts of central and southern Vancouver Island next week.
Elsewhere in B.C., strong winds and dry weather were the largest concerns for wildfire crews battling a blaze near Penticton on Friday, British Columbia’s Wildfire Service said.
Calm winds over the past few days were forecast to switch direction and gain strength over the 20-square-kilometre wildfire that had already destroyed one home and prompted an evacuation order affecting hundreds.
“The wind and weather are major concerns, they do affect fire behaviour and activity quite intensely,” said Taylor MacDonald, a fire information officer with the wildfire service.
The service said there were 132 firefighters battling the blaze, assisted by 15 helicopters and other crews.
Sixty more firefighters and one helicopter were expected to arrive to battle the fire on Saturday. The Saanich Fire Department says one of its task force commanders has joined the crews and he’ll be in charge of keeping 300 to 400 homes on the east side of Skaha Lake safe if the flames should spread that way.
The BC Wildfire Service said it was increasing the number of teams capable of setting up sprinkler systems to protect more of the roughly 3,700 homes lying in the possible path of the fire.
Residents of those properties have been warned to be ready to leave and they’ve been urged to pre-register with emergency services so officials can prepare for them.
Part of the plan is to use the sprinkler systems to create a humidity bubble, which could stop embers from travelling and starting blazes, Penticton fire Chief Larry Watkinson said.
Penticton Mayor John Vassilaki urged residents to not obstruct fire crews or trucks operating in the city and to co-operate with requests from first responders.
“Now is not the time for looky-loos to be out in the community or stopping their cars to look at the fire,” he said.
The amount of smoke from the blaze led Environment Canada to issue an air-quality warning on Friday afternoon.
“I could see (the fire) coming closer and closer to the homes and to the home where I live,” said Ron Obirek, who was ordered to leave his home in the Heritage Hills neighbourhood earlier this week. “I’ve never gone through that before and it’s an absolutely horrific, sick feeling.”
Obirek said the strength of the winds on Friday was particularly concerning.
“This is bad. Short story: bad,” he said. “We don’t normally have wind like we’ve seen this afternoon.”
In southeastern B.C., a four-square-kilometre wildfire burning west of Canal Flats had exploded to 30 square kilometres in size, but it was not immediately threatening more properties, with 10 remaining on evacuation order.
And residents of a development on Lillooet Lake, north of Vancouver, have been ordered out because heavy rain, coupled with a wildfire on the steep hills above their properties, has the potential to cause a damaging debris flow or cut the only road to the area.
The evacuation order from the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District says there is an “imminent risk” that burned trees and other debris could sweep down McCullock Creek or Catiline Creek just east of Pemberton.
Downpours affecting the Pemberton area were also forecast to drench much of B.C.’ss lower south coast, with a heavy downpour warning for Metro Vancouver.
Environment Canada has also issued severe thunderstorm watches for central and northeastern sections of the province.
Strong wind gusts, large hail and heavy rain were in the forecast, with the storm also expected to pack lightning.
However, the wildfire service website showed the risk of forest fires through the Cariboo, Prince George, Stuart-Nechako and Peace River areas was ranked no higher than moderate.
On Vancouver Island, as of Aug. 21, the fire danger is either low or very low.
Open fire prohibitions remain in place for the Coastal Fire Centre area. This restriction applies specifically to Category 2 and Category 3 open burning.
A poster explaining the different categories of open burning is available online: http://ow.ly/znny309kJv5
Ladysmith Fire says the public should report any wildfires to the BC Wildfire Service at 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on cell phones.
And for information on protecting property against the threat of a wildfire, Ladysmith Fire recommends the reading the FireSmart Begins at Home manual: https://firesmartcanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/FS_Generic-HomeOwnersManual_Booklet-November-2018-Web.pdf
FireSmart is the recognized authority on mitigating wildland fire risk. People can visit www.firesmartbc.ca or www.firesmartcanada.ca for more.
With files from Nick Wells and Beth Leighton in Vancouver, The Canadian Press
Alexa Huffman
