As warmer weather sets in across the Okanagan, outdoor enthusiasts are soaking it in.
“We love it, ” said West Kelowna resident Francine Lauze. “Anytime we can get outside to enjoy the warm weather, it’s beautiful.”
But with the warm weather about to heat up even more this weekend, there’s a concern for potential fire starts.
“Things are already dry and this, these hot temperatures are just going to exacerbate that,” said Karley Desrosiers, a fire information officer with B.C. Wildfire Service.
“We do expect that there will be some more wildfire starts, so we do have crews on standby, in anticipation of the potential for fires.”
The Okanagan is all too familiar with devastating wildfires and while the peak season is still weeks away, with highs of nearly 30 degrees by Sunday, residents are being urged to be vigilant.
“Throughout this weekend, we want people to start being a little bit more diligent,” said Dennis Craig, assistant fire chief with the Kelowna Fire Department.
“You see smoke in the hills, you call that *5555 number. Report it to BC Wildfire. If it’s within the city, you know, call 9-1-1, and report that, report that smoke.”
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As of Friday afternoon, the fire danger rating was sitting at moderate at the base of Kelowna’s Knox Mountain but with temperatures set to climb over the coming days, officials are keeping a close eye on the risk.
“The grasses are very dry out there, so it wouldn’t take much to to start a fir,” said Desrosiers. “With even the slightest wind, we can see those fires grow really fast. So it’s very, very important to be especially cautious.”
An added concern this year is a record low snowpack in the region, which, depending on the amount of spring precipitation, could mean a higher risk.
“Those are certainly areas that we’re keeping an eye on in terms of those drought conditions, which can lead to those kind of a deeper burning and more prolonged or more challenging fires to suppress as we get get through the fire season,” said Desrosiers.
On Friday, the Kelowna and Lake Country fire departments were busy training crews from across the region on how residents can better protect their homes, which is considered a critical piece of reducing fire devastation.
“We all know, as we’ve seen in 2023, embers travel great distances now and they travel across bodies of water, “Craig said. “The forest is not the absolute risk, the structures are.”
As the Okanagan braces for what could come, fire officials are sending one clear message.
“Be prepared,” Craig said.
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