Crews monitoring wildfire southeast of Chetwynd, B.C.
Premier says province building 'army of firefighters' to prepare for upcoming season
The B.C. Wildfire Service says it is monitoring a wildfire discovered southeast of Chetwynd in the province's northeast.
The fire is less than one square kilometre in size and was likely human-caused, according to an incident report.
Though it is considered out of control, it does not currently pose any threats to nearby communities.
A snow squall — a brief but intense snowfall — is forecast for the region overnight, according to Environment Canada, followed by snow Saturday and Sunday with temperatures dropping below –20 C by Sunday night.
The February blaze is a reminder of the unusually dry conditions seen throughout the province, particularly in B.C.'s northeast, which ended the 2023 monitoring season with Level 5 droughts and has seen lower-than-normal snowfall throughout the winter.
Earlier this month the wildfire service warned that "holdover" fires across the northeast were producing visible smoke as they emerged from dormancy, with close to 100 still considered active.
That wasn't news to people in Fort Nelson, B.C., who had already reported visible smoke from fires near their community from December onward.
"We're very worried," Northern Rockies Northern Municipality Mayor Rob Nelson said in an interview with CBC News. "If those [holdover fires] blow up, we're looking at a very early fire season."
Aside from the fire detected Friday, there is also one other new blaze being reported this year. It was discovered Jan. 31, burning in the Prince George Fire Centre, is 15,000 square metres — about the size of two soccer fields — and is being held.
Premier 'profoundly worried' about upcoming season
B.C. Premier David Eby said Friday he is "profoundly worried" about the potentially "terrible" upcoming wildfire season, a major reason why the province has set aside $10.6 billion in contingency funds over the next three years.
Eby said the areas of major concern are the Peace River, East Kootenay and Upper Fraser regions, which remain severely dry following last year's record-breaking fire season.
He said fire and drought are two factors that contribute to the need for the contingency fund for spending uncertainties in the provincial budget presented on Thursday.
Eby said the province is "standing up an army of firefighters" in preparation for this season's wildfires, with about 1,000 people already applying to join the wildfire team this year.
The premier also said the province is leasing aircraft and expanding infrastructure to allow for firefighters to conduct operations such as aerial missions at night, enhancing B.C.'s capacity to fight wildfires around the clock.