The summer has generally been cool and wet so far, but that doesn’t mean the fire season is over.
In its most recent newsletter, the Kamloops Fire Centre noted that as of July 21 it had responded to 97 wildfires that consumed 212 hectares. This is well below the 10-year average of 231 wildfires burning a total 2152 hectares. There were no new wildfires of note.
Also as of July 21 Clearwater Fire Zone had only two fires so far this season, with just one hectare burned.
Despite this relatively slow start, looking at past years shows that anything can happen. Last year at this time the Fire Centre dealt with 112 fires and only 186 hectares burned, but the situation changed quickly once warm weather set in. By September, 2010, almost 4,000 hectares had been consumed. By the end of our 2009 season, the center had responded to 979 fires, which burned 50,718 hectares.
As we headed into the August long weekend, Wildfire Management Staff were closely monitoring the weather conditions and had resources available to respond to any incidents that might occur.
As of July 21, the Wildfire Management Branch had sent five waves of personnel to Ontario to assist with fire fighting efforts in the northwestern part of that province. This deployment has included more than 100 from the Kamloops Fire Centre.
For the latest information on fire activity, bans and restrictions and current conditions, visit the Wildfire Management Branch website at www.bcwildfire.ca. For Facebook and Twitter updates, as well as details about evacuation orders and alerts, road conditions and air quality advisories, please visit: www.bcforestfireinfo.gov.bc.ca.