BC State of Emergency (2021 Wildfires) to end

Courtesy of the Government of BC:

Based on advice from emergency management and wildfire officials, British Columbia’s provincial state of emergency, enacted to support provincial wildfire response, will expire at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 14 (Pacific time).

Cooler seasonal weather and precipitation, combined with the hard work of firefighters from B.C., Canada and abroad to contain and extinguish fires, means that B.C. can allow the state of emergency to end and return to a standard emergency response.

While the provincial state of emergency is no longer required, the wildfire season is not over. It is vital that the public remain prepared and follow the continued direction of local authorities.

The Province will continue to take every action necessary to respond to the ongoing wildfire situation and support the recovery of affected communities.

The state of emergency was declared on July 20, 2021, to ensure a co-ordinated response to wildfire activity and to ensure public safety in the province. It was extended three times over the weeks that followed.

As of Sept. 13, 2021, 205 wildfires are burning in B.C., with three evacuation orders affecting approximately 223 properties and 12 evacuation alerts affecting approximately 254 properties. Overall this year, 1,585 fires burned 868,619 hectares in the province.

At the height of the summer, 3,631 personnel were helping fight the fires, including support from Mexico, Australia and across Canada. Approximately 32,000 people were displaced, and 19,807 people registered with Emergency Support Services.

Quick Facts:

• Declarations of provincial states of emergency are issued by the minister responsible under the Emergency Program Act.
• This is a temporary measure authorized by the Emergency Program Act and may be extended or rescinded as needed.

Learn More:

For information on evacuation orders and alerts, visit Emergency Info BC:
http://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/

Keep up to date on the provincial wildfire situation:
https://www.2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status

BC State of Emergency (2021 Wildfires) extended to August 17th, 2021

Courtesy of the Government of BC:

The B.C. government has extended the provincial state of emergency through the end of the day on Aug. 17, 2021, to support the ongoing co-ordinated response to the wildfire situation and ensure public safety.

“As we have seen over the past number of weeks, the continued dry, hot weather poses a high risk for potential wildfires,” said the Hon. Mike Farnworth, BC's Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “The Province will continue to support British Columbians with all of the tools they may need if they end up facing an evacuation order.”

As of the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 3, 254 wildfires are burning in B.C., with 64 evacuation orders affecting approximately 4,305 properties. There are 99 evacuation alerts affecting approximately 21,049 properties.

“The people on the front lines of this year’s wildfire response are doing everything in their power to protect B.C. communities and keep British Columbians safe,” said the Hon. Katrine Conroy, BC's Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. “Let’s all show our support for them by ensuring that our activities don’t spark any new wildfires.”

The Province’s decision to extend the provincial state of emergency will support the significant number of people who remain under evacuation orders and alerts, and continues to support the potential of a mass evacuation.

Current weather forecasts may lead to more severe fire behaviour and the potential for more evacuations. While extraordinary powers under the Emergency Program Act are not needed at this time, the declaration gives the Province the ability to move quickly, if the need arises.

Quick Facts:

• The provincial state of emergency supporting B.C.’s wildfire response remains in effect until Aug. 18 at 12:01 a.m. (Pacific time).
• The provincial government can extend the period of a declaration made by the minister responsible as necessary.

Learn More:

For information on evacuation orders and alerts, visit Emergency Info BC: https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/

Keep up to date on the provincial wildfire situation: www.bcwildfire.ca

BC declares a Provincial Statement of Emergency - 2021 BC Wildfires

Courtesy of the Government of BC:

The B.C. government is declaring a provincial state of emergency to support the provincewide response to the ongoing wildfire situation.

The Hon. Mike Farnworth, BC's Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, made the declaration on July 20, 2021, based upon the recommendation from the BC Wildfire Service and Emergency Management BC. The declaration will be in effect starting July 21, 2021.

The state of emergency is initially in effect for 14 days once issued and may be extended or rescinded as necessary. The state of emergency applies to the whole province and ensures federal, provincial and local resources can be delivered in a co-ordinated response to protect the public, which remains the provincial government's top priority.

“Public safety is always our first priority, and as wildfire activity is expected to increase, this is a progressive step in our wildfire response to make sure British Columbia has access to extraordinary powers under the Emergency Program Act,” Farnworth said. “In a briefing last night, I received word that we’ll be facing a few days of very difficult weather in the Interior. This declaration will address the potential of a mass evacuation scenario and provide our government with the means to secure the accommodation spaces necessary to house our citizens, if necessary.”

As of July 20, there were 299 wildfires burning in B.C., with 40 evacuation orders affecting approximately 5,724 people (2,862 properties), in addition to 69 evacuation alerts impacting approximately 32,076 people (16,038 properties). The extended weather forecast calls for continued hot and dry conditions, with heightened wind activity in the Interior and southeastern B.C.

More than 3,180 firefighters and resource staff are currently actively engaged in fighting fires in all fire regions in the province. This includes 1,080 contractors and 135 out-of-province resources.

The federal government has responded to and accepted British Columbia’s request for firefighting assistance. In the coming days, federal personnel and resources will be arriving in B.C. to assist with wildfire efforts.

The state of emergency gives agencies, such as the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, Emergency Management BC, the fire commissioner and the RCMP, the authority to take every action necessary to fight the wildfires and protect people and communities.

Quick Facts:

• Declarations of provincial states of emergency may be issued by the minister responsible under the Emergency Program Act.
• The provincial government can extend the period of a declaration made by the minister responsible for further periods of time.

Learn More:

For information on evacuation orders and alerts, visit Emergency Info BC: https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/

Keep up to date on the provincial wildfire situation: www.bcwildfire.ca

Williams Lake City Council Urges Province to Declare Provincial State of Emergency

Courtesy of the City of Williams Lake:

In response to the existing local states of emergency and wildfires burning in multiple regions in the province, the City of Williams Lake joins the Cariboo Regional District, District of 100 Mile, and other BC local governments to urge the Province of British Columbia to declare a provincial state of emergency. 

“Declaring a provincial state of emergency helps ensure that communities in need of resources have the means to assist the response efforts and support those who are displaced and affected by the fires,” said Williams Lake Mayor Walt Cobb. “With the hot, dry weather continuing, we must be prepared to hit these fires hard and get the situation under control the best we can.” 

The City of Williams Lake will continue to monitor the situation from its Emergency Operations Centre and will provide updates as they are available.

TNRD Board Requesting Provincial State of Emergency

Courtesy of the Thompson Nicola Regional District:

Editor's Note -- the Squamish Lillooet RD Board has also called upon the Province of BC to declare a Provincial State of Emergency regarding the BC Wildfires situation at its' Special Meeting of July 7th, 2021

At its' regular Board meeting held today, the Thompson-Nicola Regional District Board of Directors unanimously passed a motion to ask the Government of British Columbia to declare a Provincial State of Emergency in response to the wildfire situation in BC.

The motion comes as 308 active wildfires are burning in the province, and 13% of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District is under an Evacuation Order or Alert. A total of 876 properties in the region are currently impacted by an Evacuation Order, and 2,359 properties are impacted by an Evacuation Alert.

The TNRD Emergency Operations Centre has already declared six States of Local Emergency, and has 15 active Evacuation Orders and 19 active Evacuation Alerts in place.

For further information on the wildfires impacting the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, visit www.tnrd.ca/emergency-services and www.bcwildfire.ca.