Beating the Record for forest fires in British Columbia

Photo Courtesy Twitter
Nearly 900 000 hectares of land have burned in British Columbia.

QMI agency

Wednesday, 16 August, 2017 21:23

UPDATE
Wednesday, 16 August, 2017 21:37

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KAMLOOPS | British Columbia has officially beaten a historical record, Wednesday, and nearly 900 000 hectares of land have burned out on its territory since the 1st of April.

According to the “Vancouver Sun”, the previous record set in 1958 was 856 000 hectares devastated by the flames. The record covered however a full year, rather than the four and a half months that have been necessary this year to shave nearly 9000 square kilometres of forest.

This territory represents, roughly, the equivalent of 18 times the area of the island of Montreal.

(1/2) VIDEO: This video was shot yesterday of the Bishop Bluffs #BCwildfire at approx. 5 pm. pic.twitter.com/ED1UV682EF

— BC Wildfire-a-Service (@BCGovFireInfo) August 14, 2017

Things are not ready to improve in the Western province, where 142 fires continued to burn Wednesday. The number, ten were reported in the past 24 hours, six of which were most likely due to human activity, said Kevin Skrepnek, a spokesperson for the Service to fight the forest fires of British Columbia, the daily newspaper in Vancouver.

Dozens of buildings were destroyed by flames, while a little more than 9,000 people remain under an evacuation order. At the height of the crisis, in mid-July, approximately 45 000 people had to flee their homes.

First estimated at $ 63 million, the cost of fighting fires has exceeded $ 300 million, according to the “Vancouver Sun”.

Photo Courtesy Twitter

Forest fires in British Columbia.

Hundreds of firefighters are battling day after day the variety of fires. Of the number, there are 80 members of the SOPFEU, including a quarantine that have been sent in reinforcement in the beginning of the week. Planes-tanks, pumps and fire hoses were also sent to the other end of the country.

The SOPFEU can afford to help his fellow british columbians, who faces a season of quiet with only 234 fire to this day, nearly two times less than the average.