2025 Wildfire Season

[Cloud Cover]

And we are off! The bush in the central interior is very, very dry as are the grasslands up on the arid plains. The hot desert sun of the interior is surreal the past few days. With a low speed breeze just enough to push the flames.

Human caused East of Merritt, 1x40 HA out of control and 1 0.6HA and under control:

Early-season fires sparked
Two human-caused wildfires sparked east of Merritt Saturday - Kamloops News

 

[MilEME09]

And we are off! The bush in the central interior is very, very dry as are the grasslands up on the arid plains. The hot desert sun of the interior is surreal the past few days. With a low speed breeze just enough to push the flames.

Human caused East of Merritt, 1x40 HA out of control and 1 0.6HA and under control:

Early-season fires sparked
Two human-caused wildfires sparked east of Merritt Saturday - Kamloops News

Season actually began march 1, BC has currently 25 active wild fires, 1 out of control, usually may and June is when it starts spiking

 

[Cloud Cover]

Yes I know! I live here. It’s going to be a good one this year.

 

[MilEME09]

Yes I know! I live here. It’s going to be a good one this year.

My AOR for the civi work covers the east side of BC, I am making sure all our work there is scheduled early so we don't have to worry about fire season

 

[Cloud Cover]

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Gee, the fire bugs are early, this year….

 

[MilEME09]

Gee, the fire bugs are early, this year….

Clearly the 100k fines don't work

 

[foresterab]

I was on my first fire in February this year...5 so far personally. Alberta has had over 200 so far.

Live provincial stats here:

Experience

experience.arcgis.com

Note this generally only covers a portion of the province and there are many more municipalities respond to that are reported separately.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Evacuating parts of The John...

Wildfire evacuations underway in parts of Fort St. John, cellphone and internet down in Tumbler Ridge​

B.C. Wildfire Service says all the fires are suspected to be human-caused​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/wildfire-northeast-bc-highway-1.7523748

 

[Cloud Cover]

The fire in Fort seems to be burning an area that burned a few years ago, it looks very dry. Also, nice long straight line of red spray put down by air crew.

 

[foresterab]

The fire in Fort seems to be burning an area that burned a few years ago, it looks very dry. Also, nice long straight line of red spray put down by air crew.

nice west flank ? tanker retardent line. road to south and looks like another to the east by creek. Hopefully they can get a perimeter locked down on it pretty quick with the roads in the area.

Sigh...wonder now if it's ground I've walked in past years. NE BC has had the stuffing kicked out of it via fires in the last few years.

 

[RangerRay]

nice west flank ? tanker retardent line. road to south and looks like another to the east by creek. Hopefully they can get a perimeter locked down on it pretty quick with the roads in the area.

Sigh...wonder now if it's ground I've walked in past years. NE BC has had the stuffing kicked out of it via fires in the last few years.

It’s in the Fish Creek Community Forest just north of the city, maybe a couple of klicks.

 

[RangerRay]

Gee, the fire bugs are early, this year….

“”Human caused” aren’t necessarily fire bugs. The vast majority of them are from industry, railways and garden variety careless idiots.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

“”Human caused” aren’t necessarily fire bugs. The vast majority of them are from industry, railways and garden variety careless idiots.

A string of fire, neatly spaced down hwy 52? I’ll take “arson” for $1000, Alex…

 

[RangerRay]

A string of fire, neatly spaced down hwy 52? I’ll take “arson” for $1000, Alex…

Now that does look interesting…we’ll see what the investigation finds.

 

[Cloud Cover]

There’s a railway up there as well, not sure if it’s active or not.

But the musical ride (Mounties) are up there investigating so it’s obviously suspicious.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Anyone need a camp set up near Ft St John?

Les Leyne: Instant town at Site C likely headed for the dump​

Camp has 21 three-storey dorms with single occupancy bedrooms and baths, 131 common and dining units, 24 offices, a fitness building and theatre.

Les Leyne: Instant town at Site C likely headed for the dump

Camp has 21 three-storey dorms with single occupancy bedrooms and baths, 131 common and dining units, 24 offices, a fitness building and theatre.

www.timescolonist.com

 

[SeaKingTacco]

I can think of a few Canadian Forces Bases, yes….

 

[foresterab]

There’s a railway up there as well, not sure if it’s active or not.

But the musical ride (Mounties) are up there investigating so it’s obviously suspicious.

BC Wildfire Service have some excellent trained wildfire investigators as well. I have to assume they are involved as wildfire investigations are not the same as structural house fire or vehicle fire. RCMP may have been asked to assist for scene protection, witness interviewing assistance or in some situations evidence collection...process varies by province and not 100% sure exactly where the lines merge/overlap in BC.

If it is found to be of criminal nature (i.e. arson) then RCMP would take over the file but that's a very high bar to clear in terms of evidence and documentation. More commonly they assist and its' due to human activities (vs. lightning) and often due to causes we don't always think about - trailer chain dragging and sparking? soot particles from a diesel engine puked out? series of trees falling in a wind event on a powerline?

Regardless the process won't be rushed and only those specifically involved in the investigation will know the full story.

 

[RangerRay]

ATVs with poorly maintained or non-existent spark arrestors is also a common cause.