Preparedness, weather conditions helping initial wildfire attack success in B.C.

Crews made quick work of a wildfire burning in the hills above West Kelowna, B.C., on Wednesday morning, knocking it down in just a few hours. Air and ground resources hit the blaze hard, keeping it to under one hectare — a success story that’s becoming common across B.C. this season.

“About 90 per cent of fires are being captured while they’re still in what we would consider initial attack capabilities — around four hectares,” said Sarah Budd with the BC Wildfire Service.

In just over a month, three separate wildfires flared up in the Okanagan — Whelan Creek, Drought Hill, and Conifryd Creek — but all were brought under control within days, some within hours. Budd says a combination of weather and preparedness is helping crews stay ahead.

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“We’ve seen conditions across the province, and specifically in the Kamloops Fire Centre and the Okanagan, that are more favourable for our initial attack response,” she said.

Recent rainfall and easing drought levels have played a major role. “When we compare drought codes from last year to this year, we’ve simply had more rain. Forest fuels — even deeper layers — are less receptive,” Budd explained.

That quick response was especially evident on the Drought Hill fire near Peachland, according to Peachland Fire Rescue Chief Ian Cummings.

“It was a combination of everything,” he said. “Our mutual aid partners — West Kelowna, Kelowna, RDCO — sent a lot of resources. And of course, BC Wildfire’s ground and aerial crews were quick to jump on it.”

The BC Wildfire Service also made strategic changes ahead of this year’s season, securing longer-term contracts to ensure heavy-lift helicopters are available during peak months.

The province has also expanded its use of Night Vision Imaging Systems (NVIS), which allow crews to fight fires even after dark.

“It helps us because we can do bucketing operations through the night to keep fire behaviour down,” Budd said. “But we can also use that capability for scanning.”

Despite recent successes, crews remain on high alert. Northerly wind gusts of up to 70 km/h are expected to move in with a cold front — a combination that raises the risk of new ignitions.

“A storm usually follows that — lightning, heavy winds — so we have to be on edge here,” said Chief Cummings.