BC needs to be prepared for ‘new normal’ of flooding and fires

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – From flooding in the interior to the intensity of the past few wildfire seasons, weather extremes have been wreaking havoc in BC in recent years — and the people who manage our emergencies suggest we’d better get used to it.

“We continue to see weather-related emergencies increasing in our province both in intensity and frequency,” says Jennifer Rice, BC’s parliamentary secretary for emergency preparedness.

“What we are seeing now, particularly around floods and fires, is the ‘new normal.’ Last year’s fire season was the worst we have ever had on record and I think it goes to show that we cannot deny climate change is real and that it is increasing the severity of wildfires and flooding here in British Columbia,” she tells NEWS 1130.

Four of the province’s worst wildfire seasons on record have occurred in the past eight years and Kevin Skrepnek with the BC Wildfire Service says last year’s was significant for all the wrong reasons.

“In terms of money spent, the sheer area that was involved and the amount of people displaced, they were all record setting in 2017. I think we do have to be prepared to be facing situations like that in the future,” he says.

Skrepnek reminds that there is a lot people can prepare for to minimize risks to their properties during intense wildfire seasons.

“There’s only so much the government can do in terms of getting prepared for response and prevention. At the homeowner level we are real proponents of the Fire Smart program. It has simple steps people can take to prepare their home and their property for fires.”

That includes clearing gutters of dried leaves and needles or choosing what plants and trees are on your property to make it a more “defensible space” in case of wildfire.

Rice adds the province is prepared to help the growing number of evacuees forced out of the homes by the effects weather extremes.

“They are entitled to emergency social services, or ESS, for up to 72 hours, but that can be extended depending on their needs. The services include getting food, lodging and clothing, emotional supports and getting information, as needed,” she explains.

“It is Emergency Preparedness Week in British Columbia. If you check out the Prepared BC website or Twitter feed, there is a breadth of information to help homeowners. Mostly we want people to create a household plan and talk with their family members about what they are going to do in the event of an emergency.”

Rice also recommends every home have a “grab and go” bag with all the essentials needed for a speedy evacuation and that property owners in flood-prone areas maintain drains and sump pumps.

“As the parliamentary secretary for emergency preparedness, I want people to know that we are here — the province is here — to help and that they are not alone even if they are going through a trying time.”

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