Across British Columbia, months of above average temperatures are beginning to have a big impact.
“Blueberries have started about three weeks sooner than ever that I can imagine…I’ve never started this early in the season,” said Alf Krause of Krause Berry Farms in Langley.
“Usually we have pretty distinct seasons. Strawberries, and then into raspberries, and then into blueberries, and then into blackberries. We’re picking all four of them right now.”
No campfire bans are in place in B.C. yet, but some municipalities have already started taking action. In Mission and Surrey, open fire bans have already been put in place, much to the chagrin of some.
“Are you going to sit around a flashlight? Is that going to work? No. You’ve gotta have some kind of fire. That’s the whole idea of camping. The hot dogs, the marshmallows. All that kind of stuff. When it’s missing, it’s missing huge,” said Rick Smook at Sun Valley Trout Park in Mission.
To the north, a wildfire burning northwest of Whistler, B.C., is expected to grow as hot and dry conditions are predicted for the region in the coming week.
B.C.’s Wildfire Management Branch says crews have contained about 30 per cent of the seven-square-kilometre fire raging in the Elaho Valley, located 67 kilometres west of Pemberton.
“This fire is in very steep and inaccessible terrain, in thick forest,” says a notice posted on the branch’s website.
“This valley, and the trees within it, are very dry and it is expected that it will not receive substantial rainfall in the foreseeable future.”
The branch is warning hikers to steer clear of the area.
And in the Fraser Canyon, fire crews have made progress battling another blaze just south of Lytton.
The 19-square-kilometre fire is 50 per cent contained since first flaring up a week and a half ago.
The Wildfire Management Branch says flames are clearly visible from the Trans-Canada Highway, which passes just east of the blaze.
“Please pay attention to the road when driving through the area,” reads an online notice from the branch. “If you plan to look at the fire, please pull over to a safe pull out.”
Will the warm weather end anytime soon? Not according to the seasonal temperature outlooks created by the U.S.-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Their maps are forecasting above average temperatures for Metro Vancouver and the southern half of Vancouver Island until September of 2016. – which is when their model ends.
– With files from The Canadian Press
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