Growing Threat of Fires in British Columbia Prompts Increased Evacuation Preparations

This week, as firefighters battle raging flames that have destroyed homes and closed sections of a major national highway, more residents of British Columbia’s western region are likely to be forced from their homes.

Late on Friday, the province declared an emergency, allowing officials extra authority to address the risk of fire. As of Saturday, 30,000 households were covered by an evacuation warning, while close to 35,000 were subject to an order to leave.

The McDougall Creek fire is centered near Kelowna, a city with a population of around 150,000 people located about 300 kilometers (180 miles) east of Vancouver. Yet there have also been reports of fires closer to the US border and in the American Pacific Northwest, which have been made worse by a severe drought.

In order to protect their own lives as well as the lives of the firemen, ministers and government officials urged citizens residing in areas under evacuation order to act immediately.

Daniel Eby, the premier of British Columbia, also put a ban on non-essential travel on Saturday to make room for evacuees and firefighters. The use of drones for photo-taking was discouraged by the authorities because it would complicate the operations of firemen.

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Canada Grapples with Intense Wildfire Season

The official estimates of the overall number of demolished structures have not yet been released.

In Canada, forest fires are not unusual, but the severity of this year’s worst wildfire season is highlighted by the spread of the flames and the resulting inconveniences.

The flames have depleted local resources and prompted support from 13 different nations in addition to federal government assistance. In the line of duty, at least four firemen have perished.

Nationwide, an area of about 140,000 square kilometers (54,054 square miles), or about the size of New York state, has already been burnt, with smoky cloud reaching as far as the East Coast of the United States. According to government officials, the widespread drought-like conditions might cause the fire season to stretch into the fall.

Nearly all of Yellowknife’s 20,000 residents had to evacuate last week due to an out-of-control wildfire in the city, which is located around 2,000 kilometers to the north.

According to officials, the fire is currently not anticipated to spread inside the city limits by the end of the weekend due to light rain and colder weather.

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Source: Reuters