Wildfire season gets early start in northwest BC

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Crews were called out for two weekend fires in an early start to wildfire season in northwest BC

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The BC Wildfire Service said the two fires were in the area of ​​the village of Kitwanga.

One is now out.

The other is under control. That wildfire is about 160,000 square meters in size and was tackled by 10 firefighters with helicopter support for water bucketing over the weekend. Two crew members remain at the fire Tuesday to patrol and remove gear.

Despite dry conditions in northwest BC, the wildfire service said there are no other fires of concern among 12 active wildfires larger than 100 square meters.

“The conditions are very typical for this time of year,” said spokeswoman Carolyn Bartos. She said human-caused wildfires related to backyard burning and grass burning are the leading cause of early-season fires.

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Vegetation is very dry and new grass and vegetation has yet to start growing, said Bartos, conditions that aren’t unusual for early spring. Combined with low relative humidity, fires fueled by wind can move and grow quickly.

Open fires are already banned in the Northwest Fire Center, while campfires are allowed. There are no other fire bans in BC yet.

Last year was one of the most destructive wildfire seasons in BC history, fueled by a record-breaking “heat dome” that contributed to a blaze that destroyed the village of Lytton at the end of June.

A total of 1,642 wildfires burned about 18,700 square kilometers of terrain. While 60 per cent of fires are due to natural causes, some 35 per cent are human-caused. The remaining five per cent are undetermined.

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BC government provides local grants for wildfire prevention

The BC government is spending $90 million in 2022 to help BC communities reduce their risk of wildfires.

The so-called community resiliency investment grants include $4.3 million to 45 local governments and First Nations in the Coastal Fire Center that were announced on Tuesday.

“Last year’s devastating fire season highlighted the importance of implementing FireSmart activities around BC communities and, as we saw in Logan Lake, it can make a big difference,” said Forests Minister Katrine Conroy in a news conference.

FireSmart funding is used to manage fuel—fallen logs, underbrush and so on—on Crown, reserve and private land. First Nations and local governments can apply for the money to complete projects that help prevent or reduce their risk of wildfires. It is administered by the Union of BC Municipalities and offers up to $50,000 in lower-risk communities and up to $150,000 in those at higher risk.

“People in the Cowichan Valley want to know steps are being taken to avoid fires like we saw in Copper Canyon during last year’s fire season,” said Doug Routley, parliamentary secretary for forests and MLA for Nanaimo-North Cowichan. “It is vital that we support communities so they can prepare and ensure people’s homes and lives are safeguarded.”