By Dylana Kneeshaw

2020 FIRE SEASON

Significantly less damage during 2020 wildfire season in Kamloops Fire Centre

Sep 28, 2020 | 5:33 PM

KAMLOOPS — A wet spring led to a slow start for the 2020 wildfire season in B.C, with significantly fewer fire starts.

Now reaching the end of fire season, the amount of land burned in the Kamloops Fire Centre is just under half of what it was for the 2019 season.

According to Kamloops Fire Centre information officer Gagan Lidhran, so far there have been 185 fire starts this season. Fifty-nine were lightning-caused, 124 were human caused, and the rest are still under investigation.

Lidhran says these fires burned a total of 2,523 hectares between March and the end of September.

Two and Out

PETERS: Working in local government may pay well, but it sure doesn't seem like a lot of fun

3h ago

Looped In

LOOPED IN WITH NIKKI OMEN: October 10, 2024

Oct 10, 2024

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: If it's Tuesday, this must be Kamloops

Oct 10, 2024

“In comparison, on this day in 2019 we had 198 wildfires for a total of 4,154 hectares burned. So while we’re close to the wildfire start number, we are significantly lower this year in terms of the hectares burned”

May and June were particularly rainy months in the Kamloops Fire Centre, with minimal fire starts. However Lidhran says the end of July into August saw multiple heat waves increase the fire risk.

“So this dried out forest fuels, grasslands within the Kamloops Fire Centre and we did see a lightning band that passed through on the August long weekend,” she explains. “August was definitely our busiest month for the fire season in Kamloops fire centre specifically. We did see two wildfires of note. So particularly the Dry Lake wildfire as well as the Christie Mountain wildfire in Penticton.”

Open burning bans will end Wednesday in the Kamloops Fire Centre, and the summer fire season will end in October.

“That means that you can do Category 2 open burns and category 3 open burns with the use of a burn registration number. As well as use sky lanterns, fireworks, burn barrels and burn cages of any size,” Lidhran says. “However do we recommend that you check in with your local authority as their regulations may differ from the provincial ones.”

Moving into the fall, the BC Wildfire Service still urges people to use caution with any fire use.