Sunday had an end-of-the-world feel to it, with a red sun glowing feebly in an eerie yellow sky. While the smoke-filled air does not necessarily signal doomsday, it contains a grim warning that should not be ignored 鈥� the fire danger is extreme, with no sign of abating.
sa国际传媒 is burning. The provincial government reports that 32 new wildfires started Friday, 36 on Saturday and 21 on Sunday. Although the situation has stabilized with Monday鈥檚 slightly cooler temperatures, about 180 fires are burning across the province. With record drought conditions, more fires will inevitably flare up.
Part of the charm of Vancouver Island is how close we are able to live to the natural environment. But that asset has become a hazard to lives and property, as the potential for interface fires continues to grow.
An interface fire is one that has the potential to involve buildings as well as wildlands. It can happen to anyone who lives in or near the forest or other natural areas.
Steps can be taken to mitigate that danger, according to material on the sa国际传媒 fire commissioner鈥檚 website (bit.ly/1JKaBIj). Clean gutters and rooftops to ensure they are clear of needles and leaves. Remove flammable materials against or close to any buildings.
Remove standing trees within 10 metres of structures. Prune tree branches up to at least 2.5 metres above the ground. Don鈥檛 leave prunings or other combustible materials where they can be a threat to buildings. Replace bark mulch with gravel or decorative rocks. Remove exposed propane tanks and other fuel containers.
It鈥檚 a sharp reminder that a major earthquake isn鈥檛 the only reason to have an emergency-preparedness plan in place. There鈥檚 a one-in-10 chance of a megathrust earthquake happening in sa国际传媒 in the next 50 years.
Meanwhile, in northern Saskatchewan, thousands of people have already been evacuated from their homes as wildfires advance. In sa国际传媒, evacuation alerts have been issued in several places threatened by fires. Those are real dangers, not theoretical statistics.
For thousands of capital region residents, that danger is as close as the next tossed cigarette butt or some other thoughtless action that could spark a fire. Excellent information on being prepared for fires and other emergencies can be found on the Emergency Management sa国际传媒 website (pep.bc.ca).
As the drought continues, it鈥檚 essential to be water-conscious. While the Sooke Lake Reservoir is at 85 per cent capacity, enough to supply the region for about two years, that鈥檚 not an excuse to be complacent. The past few years show a trend of declining precipitation, and it would be prudent to develop and strengthen water-thrifty habits. We can鈥檛 take for granted that we will always have an ample water supply.
Like the sailor鈥檚 鈥渞ed sky in morning鈥� adage, the hazy, off-colour sky we are experiencing contains warnings we should heed.
