'Acts of God' protected Chetwynd from wildfire: acting mayor
Residents reminded to be cautious as 'extreme drought' fuels flames
British Columbia's first wildfire evacuation order of the season lasted under 24 hours, but local officials say "extreme drought" means the risk remains high.
The Peace River Regional District issued an evacuation order Wednesday for dozens of homes near Chetwynd, in northeastern, B.C., as a wildfire approached, then downgraded the order to an alert on Thursday.
Chetwynd's acting mayor Julia Nelson said strong winds fanned the flames of the early-season fire that sparked along Highway 97 about four kilometres outside her community.
The growing blaze prompted the Peace River Regional District to issue an evacuation order for 67 homes, Nelson said. Local RCMP and firefighters went door to door telling residents to leave immediately.
But Nelson said calmer winds and rain helped subdue the flames.
"So, kind of acts of God just saved our community at this point," she said.
"The fire chief was saying that this fire was burning so fast and so hot that it almost seemed like we were surprised that there wasn't any structural damage."
Sharon Nickel, a community engagement specialist with B.C. Wildfire Service, said she couldn't say how close the fire came to the subdivision.
"I guess, knowing that there was an area that was on that tactical evacuation … there was a reason that those homes and residences were evacuated at that time," said Nickel.
"It was a confirmed interface fire," she told a briefing hosted by the regional district.
Residents under the evacuation alert have been told to remain ready to leave on short notice.
Nickel confirmed rain and calmer winds resulted in lower fire activity.
"It makes it more accessible for us to be able to get in there with direct attack," she said, adding that helicopters were helping about 30 firefighters on the ground.
Nickel said early-season fires aren't uncommon in northern B.C., and the Peace Region is moving into what the wildfire service typically sees as "grass-fire season."
She said the situation near Chetwynd is "nothing that is completely unheard of," though it's a bit early to see a fire that may threaten a community.
The Peace Region has been one of the driest areas in B.C. since last summer, and a recent bulletin showed average snowpack there was 65 per cent of normal.
The wildfire is evidence of the "extreme drought" the region is facing, Nelson said, adding her community is looking ahead to a long, hot fire season.
"I don't know if we have the solutions to be able to contain and deal with that."
Read more about the challenges expected for the 2024 wildfire season:
She said the province has moved the base for the B.C. Wildfire Service's northern initial attack crew from Chetwynd to Dawson Creek, about 100 kilometres away.
"It's only April, and our community was extremely at risk to burn," Nelson said in an interview on Thursday. "That fire was just a few kilometres away … and to me, that's evidence that we do need more assistance."
The Chetwynd Fire Department works on a volunteer basis, Nelson added.
Asked about the relocation of the base, Nickel said crews will still be stationed in Chetwynd throughout the coming summer.
"The live-in portion of the base is what has closed. Those facilities were no longer safe to be having folks living in them."
The suspected cause of the fire is human activity, a broad category that applies to any fire not sparked by lightning.
Mike Bernier, the member of the legislature for Peace River South, said people need to be careful in such dry conditions.
"We have no moisture in the area. We had hardly any snowpack this year. We are already at a high level of fire risk, which is evident by this [fire]," he said in an interview at the B.C. legislature on Thursday.
Bernier said the fire was discovered near a small subdivision outside Chetwynd and quickly grew to 50 hectares, prompting the evacuation order.
"It really has me worried for the whole season up in the Peace Region if this continues. We need all hands on deck watching and keeping the area safe," he said.
Speaking at the legislature on Thursday, Forests Minister Bruce Ralston said the province is "ready" for what's to come this summer after B.C. saw its worst-ever season last year, with more than 28,000 square kilometres burned.
The early start to this year's wildfire season includes more than 100 active fires throughout B.C., with four new fires sparked in the last 24 hours.