Northern BC - worried

[violadagamba]

Having friends in Kelowna, Penticton, Kamloops & Mara Lake, I follow the wildfire news closely, and continue to hope that 2006 isn't repeated. Every time I hear of another lightning storm, I worry for our friends & their neighbours, and hope everyone stays safe. So - an expression of sympathy - and empathy.

The amount of smoke around Smithers this evening is giving everyone pause. There's not a lot of reporting about fire risk up here - the population density just doesn't warrant it - but currently there are two fires over 2000 hectares burning in the Dease Lake/Telegraph area, and the ongoing fires around Moricetown & points east remain a concern. Admittedly, this is a huge area (Dease is an 8-hour drive from Smithers), and our population stats are laughably small - but I've seen more bombers & buckets overhead in the last 3 days than I have in the last 4 years. It's been so dry, and the beetle-kill is spreading so fast, this year seems to be seeing a major threat up here that we haven't seen before, but probably should have been expecting - and is going very much under-reported (pity party for us). The beetle kill is so bad, and the Bulkley Valley corridor so long, the concern is that a storm or an idiot - take your pick - is going to start a fire that's going to get hold & not be stoppable - most of our terrain is underpopulated, inaccessible, and heavily wooded with largely beetle-killed pine. The first rumblings of this concern started with the fire near Vanderhoof earlier this summer, and now the fires outside Moricetown are being "watched". It's giving us all the willies, frankly.

A roundabout way of expressing sympathy - good sunsets & sunrises just aren't worth it. Here's hoping for some province-wide rain - although not in Ft. St. John quantities - without the lightning.

[RapidMarketing]

Wish everyone luck... Its pretty dry out here... I am hoping they do some summer recruiting heehee keep me busy...

[Nebula]

It's strange, but that which we fear today is about the only thing that will cure the problem for tomorrow.

Forest fires are Mother Nature's way of cleaning up the forests. We've been very good over the past 50 or 60 years in putting out fires. The result has been a build up of fuel; a dangerous build up of fuel. Now instead of low rank fires cleaning up the forest, we have conflagrations that are devastating. It's a Catch 22. If we don't put the fires out, they grow to enormous, dangerous sizes. If we do put the fires out, the fuel cotinues to build.

[RapidMarketing]

Very good post above.. It is a catch 22...

[vinnied]

It's strange, but that which we fear today is about the only thing that will cure the problem for tomorrow.

Forest fires are Mother Nature's way of cleaning up the forests. We've been very good over the past 50 or 60 years in putting out fires. The result has been a build up of fuel; a dangerous build up of fuel. Now instead of low rank fires cleaning up the forest, we have conflagrations that are devastating. It's a Catch 22. If we don't put the fires out, they grow to enormous, dangerous sizes. If we do put the fires out, the fuel cotinues to build.

That's interesting. wonder why we worked so hard to save the forests over the years in the first place, even in the unpopulated areas, Is it because we rely on them so much for our forest industry? That now seems to have backfired on us with all the beetle kill wiping out the forest instead of the fires, which is sure too be 2 or 3 times worse because of this. maybe mother nature is fighting back

P.S. hope everything turns out OK for you folks up there violadagamba

[saigo]

I feel your worry violadagamba. There have been so many fires in the Cariboo as well. A bit south of PG the smoke today is incredible. There have been bombers/helicopters leaving PG non stop.

[violadagamba]

Updating this one - the fires near Houston, Burns Lake and Vanderhoof have linked, according to friends fighting the fires. About 3000 people have been evacuated - this from an area whose total population doesn't exceed 30,000, and whose area covers over 300 linear km (along Hwy 16). The smoke is constant, and while nowhere near what they're experiencing in Williams Lake, Quesnel, and Kamloops, an ongoing concern. We're watching the bombers take off every 10 - 15 minutes (2 of the retardant bombers, plus spotter planes), and they've moved one of the big water bombers up to Fraser Lake to help. Again - the population density isn't huge, which remains a blessing - but the communities at risk are remote, causing other problems. It's now been, I think, 4 months since we've had noticeable rain, and there's more dry lightning in the forecast. If Highway 16 is cut off, we're screwed. Here's praying for a break in the weather, and hoping everyone on the fire lines stays safe.

I have friends with Noah's Wish and other organisations volunteering in the Williams Lake/Quesnel area - I hope you all stay safe also.

Praying for a break in the weather - soon.

[westsidebud]

protect houses and lives, let the rest burn now to get it over with