Scorching weather ahead for us
Fire officials increasingly worried about risk during prolonged dry spell

Marcel Tetrault
Originally published in the Comox Valley Echo

Friday, July 24, 2009

Hot weather makes cooling off in the Puntledge an inviting idea. Here, families splash and play as tubers float by in the background.
This weekend will be a scorcher, with the hottest day of the year so far expected next week.

The mercury is set to rise steadily over the weekend and top 35 degrees Celsius in the shade - just under 100 degrees Fahrenheit - by Tuesday.

"You're looking at a very hot stretch of sunny, dusty weather," said Environment Canada meteorologist David Jones. "It's going to be hot."

The heat, combined with a lack of rain since the June 6 storm, means that conditions are perfect for forest fires.

"We're getting very nervous," said Comox fire chief Gord Schreiner. "We still are responding, most of the Valley fire departments, to backyard burning complaints.

"I just find it amazing that people would think that should be allowed and still happen in this type of weather system."

Fires are banned pretty much entirely within municipal boundaries and an Island-wide ban for all campfires, even in rural campgrounds, went into effect today at noon.

The fire rating is extreme across much of the south Island and is high on many other parts of the Island. It is expected to continue to climb right along with the temperature.

"It is very dangerous fire weather conditions out there right now," said Coastal Fire Centre fire information officer Mike McCulley. "We're very fortunate right now not to have more significant numbers of fires.

"We're definitely on a high state of alert. Things are tinder dry out there. So the conditions that you see in Kelowna ... it almost looks very similar.

"It can happen to us."

McCulley warned that those found guilty of starting fires can be fined as much as $100,000 and even required to pay what can be the very high cost of fighting the fire.

Cooking over propane or briquettes is still allowed, but McCulley warned that those barbecues should not be left unattended. He also recommended that firefighting equipment, such as a rake, shovel and water source, be kept nearby.

Other things with which to be particularly careful in the hot weather include cigarette butts and car exhausts, which can get very hot and start fires in the grass next to roads when vehicles pull over.

Meteorologist Jones said that heat waves on Vancouver Island are caused by the same weather pattern every time.

"What causes it is we get lower pressure building up along the West Coast of the Island," he said. "Then you have higher pressure over the Interior of the province and that causes outflows in the summer.

"That's when we get our heat waves. It typically lasts two or three days and then there's a breakdown."

Jones said it is a bit early to predict but it can be expected that the area of low pressure will break down and shift inland later in the week, reversing the wind direction.

"Then we get exposed to the marine air that floods in," said Jones. "It's always the same here. After two to three days of mid-30s temperatures we usually see a breakdown.

"That doesn't mean the weather is going to get bad. It will still be sunny."

VIHA is recommending that people schedule outdoor activities before 11 a.m. or after 4 p.m. to minimize exposure to ultra-violet rays. Wear tight-knit, loose fitting clothes and a hat with a broad rim. Sunscreen and sunglasses should be used.

For more summer safety tips, go to www.viha.ca/health_info/health_tips.

© Comox Valley Echo 2009