I have family in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia (B.C.), so I am a frequent visitor to the area and most of my travel is done between the spring and fall. This time also coincides with the typical fire-season, and the wildfires in this region are something I have observed for close to a decade.
Early in the spring of 2017, it was speculated by my parents and local residents that the wineries and farmers might have a challenging growing season, as there was an unusually low amount of precipitation. However, this concern quickly changed to something much drastic when wildfires erupted all throughout the province and had no indication of slowing down.
In recent years there has been an increase in the number of severe wildfires, or a lengthened ‘fire-season’, beginning earlier in spring and lasting later into the fall. B.C.’s Wildfire Services webpage states that 2017 saw a record-breaking wildfire season, that caused significant impacts to land and human lives. Beginning in April 2017, more than 1,300 fires were reported, with 1,212,000 hectares burned across B.C.
I believe one of the issues underlying the increased severity of wildfire in the Okanagan Valley is due the increase in population and tourism in the area, ultimately contributing to a changed climate.
