B.C.’s wildfires have already burned more hectares this year than 16 of last 20 seasons

The number of hectares burned in this year’s wildfire season has already exceeded the hectares burned in 16 of the last 20 wildfire seasons in B.C.

Bowinn Ma, minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, said Thursday that “this year’s wildfire season is already well underway and has been since mid-April.”

She said now is the time to put together a plan for any potential fires and any possible evacuations.

Ma encouraged the public to take 20 minutes to put together an emergency plan and a go-bag if they are asked to leave under an evacuation order.

There are currently 78 active wildfires in the province, with 24 considered out of control.

There are five wildfires of note, which are either highly visible or pose a threat to communities.

0:29 Out-of-control fire near Port Alberni shutters lane of traffic

The District of Tumbler Ridge was placed on evacuation order Thursday afternoon due to the West Kiskatinaw River wildfire. Everyone in the Tumbler Ridge area, and east including Bearhole Lake must leave the area immediately.

This order affects about 2,000 people. The fire appears to have been started by lightning and is an estimated 9,600 hectares at this time.

Anyone in the evacuation order area, must leave the area immediately and report to the reception centre in Dawson Creek at the Ovintiv Events Centre.

Residents should evacuate via Highway 29 or Highway 52 east/boundary to Dawson Creek.

Meanwhile, a wildfire burning roughly 10 kilometres east of Port Alberni on Vancouver Island has led to the shutdown of Highway 4.

The Cameron Bluffs wildfire is currently burning out of control and is an estimated 180 hectares as of Thursday afternoon.

The shutdown of Highway 4 concerns officials, as it is the only major route connecting Port Alberni with the rest of Vancouver Island, outside of logging roads.

According to the Ministry of Transportation, the closure is now expected to last beyond the fire itself, due to damage to the road and instability of the slope above the highway.

The Donnie Creek wildfire, burning about 136 kilometres southeast of Fort Nelson and 158 kilometres of Fort St. John. It is now estimated at 310,805 hectares, making it the second-largest wildfire in B.C.’s history.

The Plateau fire, which broke out in 2017, northwest of Williams Lake, is still the biggest in the province’s history.

0:34 Donnie Creek Fire now second-largest wildfire in B.C. history

First spotted on June 3rd, the Chehalis River wildfire has now ballooned to more than 800 hectares, as it worsens the air quality across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.

The wildfire is located around 10 kilometres west of Harrison Lake and just north of Chehalis Lake. The fire is now listed as a Wildfire of Note, according to the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS).

“This fire has experienced growth with active burning conditions over the last two days. Crews and staff are evaluating objectives and suppressing available perimeter,” reads a statement from the Coastal Fire Centre.

The fire’s new status means it is highly visible or poses a potential threat to public safety. However, its growth and visibility have not led fire crews to recommend any evacuation orders or alerts at this time.

2:11 Growing concerns about increasing fire risk in B.C.

Air quality advisories or statements have been issued for multiple areas of the province mostly due to two out-of-control wildfires burning near Harrison Lake, which are producing considerable amounts of smoke.

Wildfire officials are asking people to cut down on outdoor backcountry activity.