Worst wildfire season in 60 years: BC by the numbers
theweathernetwork.com
Friday, August 4, 2017, 4:51 PM - As wildfires continue to burn throughout British Columbia, the 2017 season is now considered to be the second worst on record, after 1958, and it's not even over yet.
BC Wildfires by the numbers
123 - the number of wildfires burning in BC as of Thursday night, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service.
14 - the number of new fires that have started on Thursday and Friday
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Wildfires burning as of Aug 4, 2017. Flames - fires of note. Orange dots - active fires. Red dots - new fires (detected less than 24 hours ago). Credit: BC Wildfire Service
868 - the number of wildfires, total, that have impacted the province since April 1.
25 - number of evacuation orders in the province as of 8 p.m. Thursday, affecting 7,127 people. Those under an evacuation order must leave the area immediately, for their own safety.
42 - number of evacuation alerts, impacting 24,957 people. An evacuation alert is not a directive to leave, but an advanced notice that there is danger in the area due to wildfires, and that you should be ready to leave at a moment's notice.
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498,098 - the number of hectares that have been burned by the season's wildfires, so far. This is second in size only to 1958, when wildfires consumed an estimated 850,000 hectares throughout the season.
$204,000,000 - the cost, in Canadian dollars, of the response to the season's wildfires, again, so far.
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Fine particulate matter concentrations at stations through southern B.C., with details shown for the Whistler Meadow Park station, at 12 p.m. PDT, Friday, Aug 4. Credit: Government of B.C.
92 - the 24-hour average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air at Whistler, measured in micrograms per cubic metre. According to the B.C. government, the maximum acceptable concentration for fine particulate matter is 25 micrograms per cubic metre, over a 24 hour average period.
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The Elephant Hill wildfire
So far, this intense wildfire, alone, as burned through 93,100 hectares, and as of Thursday, August 3, it was considered to be 30 per cent contained.
According to Kevin Skrepnek of the B.C. Wildfire Service, over 600 personnel, including over 400 firefighters, are currently tackling this wildfire, and there are 21 helicopters, along with 90 pieces of heavy equipment that have been deployed in their efforts. A further 30 new personnel are set to arrive from Australia this weekend, to help with the situation.
The Red Cross
The Canadian Red Cross is helping meet the urgent needs of people impacted by the wildfires in British Columbia.
This includes registering evacuees and providing direct financial assistance to eligible households, assisting local authorities at reception centres, and providing additional assistance as communities start to return home. The Canadian Red Cross is providing registration services on behalf of the Province of B.C.
Those who have not registered should register online at www.redcross.ca or by calling 1-800-863-6582.
Canadians, across the rest of the country, can help the people impacted by the fires in B.C. with a financial donation to the Canadian Red Cross British Columbia Fires Appeal.
Donations can be made to the Canadian Red Cross British Columbia Fires Appeal in one of the following ways:
• Online at www.redcross.ca
• By calling 1-800-418-1111
• By texting FIRES or FEUX to 45678
• By contacting your local Canadian Red Cross office
Stay tuned for more updates as the wildfire situation in B.C. develops.
Sources: B.C. Wildfire Service | B.C. Air Quality | CBC News
