As the summer rolls on and the province heats up, B.C. is in a better position in terms of wildfires than in either of the past two years, according to a July 8 update from the BC Wildfire Service.
So far this year, there have been 514 wildfire starts in B.C., but only 71 active fires as of July 8. By this date in 2024, there had been 422 starts, but 149 were active, and a province-wide campfire ban went into effect on July 12. Both years had a similar amount burned. The previous year, 2023, was the worst in B.C.'s fire season history.
However, officials note that as the summer progresses, dry lightning events can become more frequent, resulting in an increased number of fires.
"We're starting to see more thunderstorms and lightning events pass through the province, so we'll certainly see more ignitions resulting from that," said Taylor Colman, a fire information officer for the BC Wildfire Service. "But thankfully, these have had a cooler and wetter start, at least in the Interior."
So far this season, northeastern parts of the province have borne the brunt of the early fire activity, as has been the case in the previous two fire seasons. Part of this is overwintering fires, along with weather and other factors.
"The northeast continues to be challenging," Colman said.
Dry lightning is predicted for the southeastern part of the province in the coming days, but Colman said recent rains have kept the fire danger ratings down in many parts of that region.
"Not forecasting anything above average or anything that is certainly setting off any alarm bells," she said.
That being said, Colman added that high winds could be an issue, and drier conditions exist in northern parts of that region, such as Revelstoke and areas bordering the Okanagan.
Currently, the only "wildfire of note" listed by the BC Wildfire Service is the 242.8-hectare Izman Creek wildfire north of Lytton. This was the fire sparked by the wheel falling off an RCMP boat trailer.
Fires are burning hotter and lasting longer
Colman appeared alongside Forests Minister Ravi Parmar to present the update to the media in Fort St. John at a BC Wildfire Service parattack base.
"For years, the Prince George Fire Centre has been dealing with severe drought brought on by climate change," he said. "This has altered the landscaping, created an environment where wildfires spread further, burn hotter and last longer."
Despite the slower start to the fire season compared with the previous two, Parmar said his flight from Victoria to Kelowna en route to Fort St. John was turned around on Sunday night due to a wildfire near the airport.
He said it was a real reminder for him to be compassionate to people dealing with the impacts of fires.
As many communities in B.C. struggle to combat the now-yearly threat of wildfire, Parmar said it is his goal to ensure the province's response capabilities are up to snuff. He also advocated for improved forest management practices.
A recent report by the Forest Practices Board called for the forestry industry to be more involved in wildfire mitigation and for better regulation by the government to ensure best practices.
"I think there are some roles that we can play, ensuring that we're working with industry, and working with particularly the forest sector and community forests and so many others, to ensure that we are doing wildfire mitigation work," he said.
