EMERGENCY RISK REDUCTION

I’d like to continue on the theme of wildfire as a threat here in western Canada, because, although it’s only April, we are living it out before our eyes. Widespread fires in northeastern BC and Alberta have erupted. Even international news outlets have reported a fire, called The Beast, in northern Alberta.  The 80,000 residents of the oil and gas town of Fort McMurray were completely evacuated. To date, over 1,600 homes have been destroyed. The tragedy has resulted from a dangerous cocktail combining low Alberta snowpack, lack of rainfall, unusually high temperatures, dry timber, excessive fuel load, and wind.

Wind is a terror during a wildfire. High winds carry embers for miles, cause flames to leap forward at astounding speed, and can virtually outrun vehicles. Fort McMurray is located on the high prairie of Alberta and the winds that spread the fire reportedly gusted to 90 miles per hour. Coupled with the dry and hot temperatures, it roared through parts of the town.

The fire was also incredibly hot. A recent article in the Edmonton Journal states that the Fort McMurray fire may go on record as comparable to a 2001 Chisholm, Alberta fire — the most intense fire on record, not just for Alberta or for Canada, but recorded in the world! The Chisholm wildfire burned at an energy level of 233,000 kilowatts per metre, says wildfire specialist Mike Flannigan. To compare, any fire burning at 10,000 kilowatts per metre is generally deemed ineffective with aircraft water bombing. We have a few water bombers here in Canada, but it was too little, too late.

It’s impossible to contain fires this hot. They can actually create their own weather patterns and clouds. Trees in front of them heat up so fast that they virtually explode. Fire services just let these wildfires burn. Sadly, it takes anything in its path, including a town of 80,000. Fortunately, the Chisholm fire was in an isolated area. Only 10 homes were lost.

Climate patterns come in cycles, and we’re presently in the bleak part of this cycle. Canada has about 400 million hectares of forest and woodlands. On average, about 2.5 million hectares burn in wildfires each year. Canada has had four million hectares burned three years in a row – during the summers of 2013, 2014 and 2015. At this rate, the trend will continue in 2016.

There are many hazards to consider, especially those that impact farmers and ranchers with whom I often work. You can imagine that, at this writing, the hazard most in the mind of western Canadians is wildfire.

Thanks for reading.