Wildfire danger ratings in B.C. have risen dramatically over the past week, as the province continues to see extraordinarily dry conditions throughout.
As of Wednesday, much of the province has moved into a “High” rating, meaning the fire risk is serious.
“New fires may start easily, burn vigorously, and challenge fire suppression efforts. Extreme caution must be used in any forest activities. Open burning and industrial activities may be restricted,” the BC Wildfire Service explains.
It’s quite the change, as CityNews Meteorologist Michael Kuss points out, much of the province was rated as Low to Moderate just seven days earlier.
“The last significant rainfall on the B.C. South Coast was on May 5. I’m not expecting any precipitation for southwestern B.C. until at the earliest June 10, and that disturbance is anything but a certainty,” Kuss said Thursday.
The fire danger rating has risen “rapidly” over the last week, Kuss says, adding if the forecast holds, the rating will increase again.
“We will likely see that rating go from High to Extreme for the South Coast and reach at least High for almost all of southern B.C. before the middle of June,” he said.
source:CityNews photo:BC Wildfire Service
