Wildfire Situation

[PJ Hardtack]

The province has been put on a state of emergency due to the wildfire situation - finally.

Our NDP government's voter base is the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, so the rest of the province can suck eggs as far as they are concerned. Even our PM has toured the fires whereas the Premier hasn't moved his butt out of Victoria.

The smoke is so intense in PG and Quesnel that the street lights come on at 8 pm. People with respiratory problems are advised to stay indoors and avoid strenuous exercise. Some are already seeking refuge at the CN Centre in PG which itself is plagued with dense smoke. West Quesnel is on evac alert, people advised to be prepared to leave on short notice.

Williams Lake held their annual shoot last week end and when we left at 9 am, it was almost dark! Living under these conditions is eerie, depressing and gives you the impression of a post-apocalyptic environment.

The temperatures are unseasonably cool due to the high cloud cover as well as the smoke layer. Sunlight barely filters through. this must have an effect on vegetation and the game population as well.

Our range is closed and I suspect that the ranges in PG are as well. The bush is tinder dry to the point where if you listen, you hear crackling as the undergrowth dries and shrinks with the heat.

Mud slides have closed the highway between Ashcroft and Lillooet, the area previously devastated by wildfires last year.

Environmental scientists are warning that this is the "new normal" and we can expect increased weather related phenomena.

In the event of an evac order, I am one of those who will not go out, choosing to stay here with our water pump to save the house. Most along the lake shore feel the same. Looters and thieves would have a picnic otherwise.

[Baltimore Ed]

Shelter in place has always been my hurricane preparation theory living in eastern NC. Full pantry, gas for the generator, plenty of water. You guys on the west coast are catching it this year. Good luck, stay safe.

[Coal Creek Griff]

I can't imagine how things are for you up there.  I'm down in Washington State and even we are being advised to stay indoors because of the smoke from the BC fires.  I know that I can feel it in my burning eyes and we're all driving with our headlights on because of the poor visibility.  Stay safe up there.

CC Griff

[Buffalo Creek Law Dog]

The smoke from BC has entered Alberta and right now visibility is 1/2 mile.  Where we are, just south of Red Deer, we have hardly had any rain this summer.  Pastures are dry and when you walk on them it goes crunch crunch.  Spoke to a neighbor the other day and she said that in her 85 yrs she has never seen it this dry. The sun is just a red ball.

Not only that, Superman doesn't have any power under a red sun. 

[PJ Hardtack]

People are advised to hunker in the bunker, reducing strenuous outdoor activity to a minimum.

To add to our pleasure, there is an epidemic of wasps in the region. I stepped on an underground nest yesterday while picking a few wild blueberries and have a few welts. I noticed several more on our morning walk with the dogs.

The bears are getting hungry as the Saskatoons dried into craisins on the bushes. Every log and stump has been torn up as they forage for something to eat.

The forecast says the Cariboo region could be hit with lightning this afternoon. I've already run up the water pump to make sure it's going to start if I need it.

Life could get a lot more exciting over the next few days.

[Baltimore Ed]

There's an old Chinese curse that says, 'may you live in interesting times.' Definitely applicable to the times we are living in. To quote Marshall Sam McCloud, aka Dennis Weaver, 'There you go.'

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Here in Southeast Vancouver's Island around Victoria we have been declared as officially in drought conditions. The air is yellow and the Sun is red. Dry summers are normal here, but not to this extreme. We will be the new California, when the old one is totally dessert.

[PJ Hardtack]

The "new normal" will mean drastic changes for the whole province. The NDP will have a lot less money to spend on give-away programs for their voter base on the lower mainland and Vancouver Island. The revenue generating interior will simply fade away, the people migrating to better economic conditions.

Once resource-rich BC will soon loses it's forest resources from years of neglect (pine beetle infestation and wildfires) and once we spill oil over the pristine coastline, we'll effectively wipe out the wild salmon resource and become a have-not province on the dole. Eco-tourism of fire blackened earth will not be popular.

Heard reports yesterday that some small fires west of us were started by discarded cigarette butts. Fortunately passersby were able to put them out. A few weeks back we had a small fire (less than one acre) started by teens smoking on the shore of the lake during a high wind. It spread quickly and was close to jumping the road into a hay field.

Quick action by locals and my high volume water pump got it under control before the teen aged fire fighters showed up two hours later. They used MY pump to soak down the hot spots so as not to have to off load their pump. They returned it empty of fuel. We were officially admonished for our actions which cemented our disdain for the gov't fire fighters.

[PJ Hardtack]

Turns out the fire west of us were caused by a dragging tail pipe.

We had two fairly clear days but we're now back to heavy smoke and ash. Not fun to be outside, and I've been refinishing the landing and steps of our mud room. Using a heat gun, belt sander and paint stripper. Gonna oil them when done.

Our range has been closed for a couple of weeks due to the area being on evac alert and the fire hazard being rated as extreme. We have people not happy with this state of affairs even tho' visibility is nil past 100 yds.

People on puffers are advised not to go outside. One of our neighbours is doing poorly with the smoke as he has had respiratory problems for a long time.

I'm of the opinion that there should be a moritorium on hunting this year to give wildlife a break. Trouble is, once done, it is difficult to undo such a closure.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

This, according to NASA is the current world situation with wildfires;

https://nextobserver.com/this-nasa-image-shows-how-much-of-the-earth-is-on-fire-right-now/

[PJ Hardtack]

By world standards, we don't have a problem - unless you are one of those whose home and or livelihood has been destroyed.

Thousands of evacuees would differ, I'm sure, as would those affected by the poor air quality.

The long term effects of our fires on the economy and wildlife are yet to be determined. Priority #1 being the extinguishing of the fires.
I suspect that the job of rebuilding will fall to the next government and not the current NDP.