Campfires, cigarettes, flares and car accidents are some of the ways humans have likely started more than 400 wildfires in British Columbia this season.
As wildfires blaze across the province, the BC Wildfire Service says many of them have been avoidable. Despite efforts to spread the word about fire bans and other restrictions, fire information officer Ryan Turcot says many people still arensa国际传媒檛 getting the message.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 important to note that every time we run into a human-caused wildfire, thatsa国际传媒檚 a wildfire that didnsa国际传媒檛 have to happen,sa国际传媒� Turcot said.
sa国际传媒淭hese human-caused wildfires during periods of heightened fire activity can in some cases divert critical resources away from the natural caused wildfires that we cansa国际传媒檛 prevent.sa国际传媒�
On average, the Wildfire Service says 40 per cent of fires over the past 10 years, or 666 per year, have been caused by humans.
This season has seen an unusual amount of lightning activity, which has skewed that ratio, Turcot said.
Since April 1, humans have been responsible for starting more than 420 of about 1,950 wildfires in British Columbia, although the service said itsa国际传媒檚 too early to be more specific about the causes since many are still under investigation.
The Wildfire Service lumps human activities that spark fires into 10 broad categories, including smoking, electrical, and structure or vehicle fires that spread.
sa国际传媒淚f you were to really break it down, there are hundreds of different ways that wildfires start,sa国际传媒� Turcot said.
About 23 per cent of fires started by humans fall under the broad umbrella of sa国际传媒渋ncendiary devices,sa国际传媒� which include matches, lighters, flare guns and others. About 22 per cent spread from campfires. And about the same number begin with open fires, which are larger fires that include burn barrels, pile burning and large-scale industrial burning.
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Turcot said itsa国际传媒檚 important to educate yourself about fire bans and other restrictions before entering the backcountry.
In response to last yearsa国际传媒檚 record-setting fire season, the Wildfire Service says on its website that extraordinary measures were taken to help prevent human-caused fires.
Off-road vehicle prohibitions were implemented in the Cariboo, Kamloops and southeast fire centres and full backcountry closures were implemented in two areas. Campfires were also banned across most areas of the province throughout the summer.
In April 2016, the province increased fines for a variety of wildfire-related violation tickets. Fines include $1,150 for lighting a fire against regulations or restrictions, $575 for failing to comply with a fire control order and $383 to $575 for failing to report a fire.
More than 1.2 million hectares of land burned in 2017, costing more than $568 million in fire suppression and displacing roughly 65,000 people.
An independent review of last yearsa国际传媒檚 fire season recommended strengthening the publicsa国际传媒檚 understanding of risks and personal responsibilities, and providing a summary of incentives to encourage public participation in preparing for emergencies.
sa国际传媒淭he most prominent communications theme referenced was the need to better communicate human-started fire considerations such as the direct impacts of negligence and fines for cigarettes in high-risk areas,sa国际传媒� the report said in a summary of comments it received through open houses.
Comments also called for more public awareness campaigns and more education on FireSmart, a program that teaches prevention tactics.
In an email, Turcot said the province it working toward making FireSmart activities a common practice across British Columbia, including providing more courses to educate local governments, First Nations, community members and emergency staff. It already does paid advertising campaigns on radio, TV and online.
But changing human behaviour is challenge.
sa国际传媒淭here isnsa国际传媒檛 one silver bullet solution to reducing the number of human-caused fires, given that human-caused fires are attributable to a very wide array of activities and circumstances, so it is important for the BC Wildfire Service to continue educating the public about wildfire prevention as it relates to all human activities that can result in unnecessary wildfires,sa国际传媒� Turcot said.
Amy Smart, The Canadian Press
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