B.C. urges preparation for climate-related hazards

The B.C. government is asking people to prepare for the increasing possibility of climate-related hazards such as floods and wildfires this spring.

In a news release yesterday from the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, Minister Bowinn Ma said spring brings unpredictable weather patterns that may cause emergencies.

“If we all take proactive steps to prepare for these events, we can better protect ourselves, our loved ones and our homes, while minimizing the impact of these increasingly common occurrences,” she said.

B.C.’s River Forecast Centre is noting the average provincial snowpack is slightly below normal, but some regions have well above normal snowpack levels.

Forests Minister Bruce Ralston said in the release the BC Wildfire Service is seeing more advanced fire behaviours than usual at this time of year due to drought conditions. “Given the current conditions, we are urging the public to exercise caution as the majority of spring wildfires are caused by people and are therefore preventable,” Ralston said.

In February, the province launched ClimateReadyBC, an online hub providing hazard and mapping tools, risk data and resources for communities.

Read the full news release here.