BC expands emergency alert system for wildfires and floods


In 2021, British Columbia experienced a cocktail of extreme weather events: a deadly heat dome, a destructive wildfire season, followed by torrential rains in the fall, which caused flooding and landslides. at different locations in the province.

In anticipation of future extreme weather events, the province has expanded its use of the national system Alert Ready, used so far only for tsunamis and Amber Alerts. The system is already operational in the event of spring flooding, and will be operational from the beginning of June for forest fires, says the government.

An emergency alert message will then be sent to the cell phones of the residents concerned, and may be broadcast on radio and television broadcasts. In the event of an evacuation, the alert message could give information to residents on where they can take refuge.

A person looks at the horizon on a beach in Vancouver.

British Columbia suffered record heat in 2021.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Maggie MacPherson

This emergency system cannot be used in the event of an extreme heat wave this summer, said the Minister of Public Security. Heat waves present specific issues, which have yet to be resolved with the Department of Health, says Mike Farnworth, provincial minister of public safety.

You need to know the best way to use a heat alert, and when you should do it. Is it based on a range of temperatures, or on certain areas? The work is in progress, but we want to do it wellhe pointed out.

Nearly 600 deaths

Last year, 595 people died from extreme heat events in the province, according to provincial coroner’s services estimates.

The provincial government has been criticized for its lack of preparation after June’s heat dome shattered temperature records.

Ashcroft Mayor Barbara Roden is surprised the tool cannot be used during heatwaves, which caused far more deaths last year than other weather events combined.

Not that I want to reduce the impact of wildfires, but the heat dome killed nearly 600 people last year. Many deaths could have been avoided if we knew what was coming. »

A quote from Barbara Roden, Mayor of Ashcroft

The use of this warning system for forest fires and floods is nevertheless an excellent step, believes Barbara Roden.

It will complement the alert system that some communities already have, while having a wider geographic scope. Wildfires or floods have impacts far beyond communitiesshe says.

A tool moreover for exceptional use

Use of the emergency system will be limited to emergency situations. imminent danger or threat and it will be added to the usual means of communication, underlines Mike Farnworth. Because too much use of these alerts could lead the population to ignore them, he warns.

The Minister addresses the media in a room lined with large windows.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth says his government wants to make sure the system is used as efficiently as possible.

Photo: The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck

The decision to activate this system will rest with local governments and First Nations, since they are the ones in the ring. The province will however be able to override their decision if necessary, indicates the Minister of Public Security.

It’s a tool. One more tool, which we will have to alert the population. It’s not a magic potion. »

A quote from BC Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth

The system could for example be used in an area subject to an evacuation order, if a forest fire advances faster than expected and directly threatens the residents. The local government can then request the activation of the alert on the spot, for this specific zone, explains Mike Farnworth.

It is a system that concentrates on a given area, a fixed perimeter. We do not want to send generalized alerts that will unnecessarily alert the populationhe argues.

Debris litters a flooded road in Abbotsford Thursday, November 25, 2021.

The Sumas Valley on the outskirts of Vancouver in British Columbia was flooded in November 2021.

Photo: The Canadian Press/Jonathan Hayward

Get ready

At the moment, weather conditions are cooler and wetter than normal in British Columbia, but the situation can change quickly, warns Armel Castellan, meteorologist at Environment Canada.

If the province experiences sudden warming, which spans 5 to 6 days, mountain snow could be a game-changer, he adds, and quickly lead to flooding and flooding.

The provincial authorities are advising people to be ready for any eventuality and to therefore put in place evacuation plans, in the event that the situation degenerates quickly.

This also applies to forest fires, the season of which has already started.

With information from Wildinette Paul



Reference-ici.radio-canada.ca

Leave a Comment