BC Wildfire crews are wrapping their seasonal training and looking to the skies for some help before the summer fire season. (BC Wildfire Service)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

LET IT RAIN

Easter rains across central Island hoped to dampen concerns of active fire season

Apr 6, 2023 | 5:04 PM

NANAIMO — Forecasted downpours over the coming Easter long weekend are being watched closely by those preparing for the upcoming fire season.

While an exact summer forecast is still about a week out, the Coastal Fire Centre says a relatively dry fall and winter means the region is still at risk of an active fire season, depending on future precipitation.

Marg Drysdale, fire information officer, said October and January were both exceptionally dry, somewhat offset by a wet December. However, she said rains over the coming days and weeks will shape how the summer goes.

“We are going to be taking fairly significant precipitation over the next period of time including snow at higher elevations, so this might mitigate the situation somewhat. Of course on the coast, we always look forward to those rains in June.”

Forecasters with Environment Canada said the region is in a rainfall deficit, not only from the past fall and winter, but previous years as well.

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Below average precipitation through January, February and March 2023 compounded shortfalls from 2022.

Drysdale said they’re still collecting data, with a handful of their weather stations not yet online. She said some at higher elevations might still be buried in snow.

“We are waiting for more numbers to come out of our predictive services division and we’ll have a far better look at what the outlook for the summer is.”

Fire season, however, has already begun.

Coastal Fire Centre crews have already had to respond to a small fire just north of Great Central Lake, northwest of Port Alberni.

The cause of the fire is presently unknown, although it’s suspected to be human caused.

When temperatures do warm and the ground dries out further, the Centre will have a bolstered crew.

Drysdale said returning and new officers are completing various training scenarios, including swift water training for potential flood response.

They’re expecting to have around 315 staff through the Coastal Fire Centre this year, up around 55 from last year.

The Coastal Fire Centre encompasses all of Vancouver Island, as well as the Lower Mainland, central coast and Haida Gwaii.

— with files from Jon de Roo, 97.3 FM The Eagle

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