The wildfire situation in BC continues to worsen, as new figures show that the current season puts 2021 as the third highest year on record for damages.
Over 8,600 sq km of BC has burned so far this year. The total area burned for 2021 surpassed the 1958 season – previously considered the third most destructive wildfire season in BC – in which almost 8,560 sq km was lost to flames.
Some 1,537 fires have been recorded so far for the 2021 BC wildfire season. Of those, 248 are currently burning. Fire information officer Taylor Colman noted that 27 of those currently burning wildfires were classified as fires of note because of their size or their potential threat.
Alarmingly, this development comes just a few days after it was reported that the 2021 season was declared the fourth most destructive – a sign that the current wildfires could be more dangerous than in previous seasons.
The top two worst wildfire seasons in BC were 2018 (nearly 13,550 sq km burned) and 2017 (over 12,160 sq km).
CBC News reported that as of August 19, 2021, 75 evacuation orders remained in effect for 4,951 properties. Meanwhile, 118 evacuation alerts were issued covering another 19,653 properties. The news outlet also noted that this year’s season started earlier than usual thanks to a provincewide drought and a dearth of rainfall in June and July. Such conditions led to an intense wildfire season that some fire information officers have warned could last into the fall or even winter.
