The end is near for British Columbia’s fire season, but the provincial emergency management minister, Bowinn Ma, emphasizes that the “sleeping giant” in the season of natural disasters is drought. Ma made these remarks while announcing that disaster financial assistance is available for local governments and First Nations areas that have been affected by the province’s largest fire season on record. As mid-September traditionally marks the end of the peak wildfire season, Ma acknowledges that the province is “in the home stretch” but emphasizes the need to remain prepared.
In addition to the record-breaking fire season, Ma highlights the unprecedented drought conditions in the province this year. With an estimated 2.2 million hectares of land burned, the impact is significant. Despite the peak last month, when approximately 30,000 people were evacuated from their homes, Ma notes that there are still 3,800 people under evacuation orders and another 34,000 under alert. However, in recent days, evacuation alerts for about 30,000 people have been rescinded, providing some relief for affected families.
Although a complete damage estimate has not yet been finalized, Ma mentions that “hundreds” of structures have been lost across the province. This highlights the scale of destruction caused by the wildfires. As the fire season approaches its end, the province must continue to address the challenges posed by drought and ensure preparedness for future natural disasters.