B.C. had one of the driest summers on record and the wildfire risk remains high

The wildfire danger rating across B.C. remains high to extreme in many areas after little rain fell in August and into September, making it one of the driest summers on record.

Global BC meteorologist Mark Madryga said Monday that since mid-July, 13 millimetres of rain has fallen at the Vancouver airport, while the average for that same time period is about 77 millimetres.

In Abbotsford, only an average of 10 millimetres has fallen, Madryga said, while the average should be around 97 millimetres.

Madryga added that other than a little rain on Friday, the next few days and into next week will continue to be dry and sunny in most parts of the province.

Amir Maan, a farmer at Maan Farms in Abbotsford said the lack of rain this year has been a blessing in disguise when it comes to the pumpkin crop.

“We’ve had pumpkins that are heartier, they’re more beautiful, more uniform than ever before,” he said.

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He said the very wet spring was hard for farmers as the soil was so wet and difficult to plant. But once the weather turned dry and stayed dry, that turned into optimal conditions for pumpkins to thrive.

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However, Maan said pumpkins may be more expensive due to less supply as farmers struggled with that wet start and difficult growing season.

“The quantity is not there and it’s not because, as farmers, we didn’t plant enough, it’s that we couldn’t,” he added.

Last year Maan said they lost 50 per cent of their pumpkin crop due to a wet fall and the pumpkins started rotting.

They are hoping the same does not happen to their crops this year.

Customers might see less corn this year, however, due to the growing conditions and dry weather patterns.

“Inside the corn fields, you actually have to have large watering wheels that do overhead irrigation and you have to move those from one sector to the next,” Maan added. “And so, some of the farmers that I know that have 300, 400 acres, they’re working around the clock and they’ve been doing it for months to irrigate their corn.

“If you don’t have enough water, you won’t have a nice robust husk or corn cob that you’ll be able to sell to the customer.”

Maan added that he has seen some good corn crops this year but there may be less corn to purchase.

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The wildfire danger rating remains extreme in northeastern B.C., on the east side of Vancouver Island and in parts of the Fraser Valley and the Sunshine Coast.

It is low on the north coast and in the Kootenay region, where more rain has fallen in recent weeks.