Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Todd Stone (Image Credit: CFJC News)

By Sydney Chisholm

state of emergency

Opposition BC United urges government to call state of emergency

Jul 19, 2023 | 4:45 PM

KAMLOOPS – The provincial opposition is calling on the NDP government to issue a state of emergency.

The recent drought conditions have the BC United party worried for the province’s ranchers and farmers.

“We have now confirmed it’s the worst wildfire season in recorded history here in British Columbia,” Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Todd Stone told CFJC News.

In addition, much of the province is seeing 50 per cent of normal precipitation numbers, extreme temperatures and ,because of the province’s unusually hot May, the River Forecast Centre reported an early melt of the snowpack.

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“All of this is coming together to create the perfect storm for British Columbians generally, but particularly ranchers and farmers, who are dealing with a severe drought that most of them have never seen before,” Stone said.

According to the Kamloops-South Thompson MLA, many ranchers are having to make the tough decision to either sell off or put down their animals because they can not secure enough hay to feed them.

“The B.C. government has a series of tools at its disposal,” he said. “We don’t believe that the government is using all the tools that they have in their toolbox, including a provincial state of emergency which, if enacted, could unleash the ability of the province to marshall all kinds of additional resources to flow supports to farmers and ranchers who are an extremely hard hit today and need the help today.”

So far, Premier David Eby has remained tight-lipped on whether he intends to call a state of emergency.

Meantime, the forecast is calling for no relief to the drought conditions with sunshine and temperatures in the 30s Celsius for the B.C. Interior into next week.