Wildfire crews are battling a growing number of blazes across B.C., and they’re also contending with heavy smoke that has blanketed large swathes of the province with dangerous pollutants.
As of Sunday morning, 245 wildfires are active in the province. The largest number are in the Kamloops Fire Centre which includes the Okanagan region, accounting for nearly a third of B.C.’s fires. The number of fires has increased by 14 in the last two days.
More than 3,000 properties across the province have been ordered to evacuate, and at least 15 municipalities exceeded the province’s maximum 24-hour air pollution exposures.
“Dense smoke continues to affect the Okanagan,” Erika Berg, with B.C.’s wildfire service, told CBC News Network. “It means we have to be very strategic with where we station our aircraft, as well as where they are able to operate … It does affect our operations … our staff — their well being, their safety — is our top priority.
“We take visibility very seriously.”
The province’s Interior region continues to suffer from wildfire smoke. Authorities are warning residents of serious health risks of long-term exposure to tiny airborne pollutants for the most vulnerable, including seniors and small children.
Health risks
The smoke is so bad that south of the border numerous areas of the U.S. West were under air quality alerts on Sunday as B.C. wildfire smoke lingered. This includes the northern U.S. Rockies, including portions of Colorado, Wyoming, Washington state and Idaho.
Smoky conditions are persisting in some parts of <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/BC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#BC</a>, which can impact air quality and pose health risks. The <a href=”https://twitter.com/CDCofBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@CDCofBC</a> has some great tips on how you can cope and stay healthy: <a href=”https://t.co/scEG20pdix”>https://t.co/scEG20pdix</a><br>(Image courtesy of <a href=”https://t.co/OUG7TvBkgO”>https://t.co/OUG7TvBkgO</a>) <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/BCwildfire?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#BCwildfire</a> <a href=”https://t.co/aC7AkwAsy6″>pic.twitter.com/aC7AkwAsy6</a>
—@PreparedBC
Wildfires emit huge volumes of microscopic smoke particles that researchers say can be harmful, leading to both immediate and long-term health impacts.
A total of 5,050 square kilometres have burned so far this year in B.C.— a 45 per cent increase above the past decade’s wildfire season average.
Wildfire smoke has worsened air quality to dangerous levels in many B.C. communities.
The worst-hit community has been Trail — which averaged 36 times the World Health Organization’s maximum exposure amount over 24 hours — followed by the nearby Kootenay city of Castlegar, which exceeded WHO guidelines by 30 times over the last day. In the Okanagan region, Kelowna hit 29 times the maximum safe levels in that period.
Meanwhile, there are still 61 evacuation orders affecting more than 3,000 properties. New orders were issued late on Saturday night for Queest Village and Pete Martin Bay north of Sicamous, B.C., as well as another order for the community of Eastgate southwest of Princeton on the Highway 3.
Anyone placed under an evacuation order should leave the area immediately.
Evacuation centres have been set up throughout the province to assist anyone evacuating from a community under threat from a wildfire. To find the centre closest to you, visit the Emergency Management B.C. website.
Evacuees are encouraged to register with Emergency Support Services online, whether or not they access services at an evacuation centre.
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