Saturday August 3, 2024 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
What causes wildfires in British Columbia? The BC Wildfire Service summarizes the causes as natural and human-caused.
Natural fires:
Lightning (and a rare chance of other natural causes) causes approximately 60% of wildfires.
When lightning strikes an object it can release enough heat to ignite a tree or other fuels.
The risk from natural fires can also be reduced with fuel management and prescribed burning.
Human-activity fires:
Human activity causes approximately 40% of wildfires. These are preventable fires.
Humans start wildfires in several ways, either by accident or intentionally:
- Open burning
- Vehicle and engine use
- Industrial activity
- Fireworks, sky-lanterns, outdoor flame lighting
- Discarding burning items (cigarettes)
- Arson
Campfire ban:
Currently there is a campfire ban across BC, for both public and private land (as at August 1, 2024 according to BC Wildfire). See info on Coastal Fire Centre ban.
That also means a ban on:
- Fireworks
- Sky lanterns
- Binary exploding targets
- Burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description
- Air curtain burners
- Chimineas
- Tiki and similar kinds of torches
Use of outdoor stoves is allowed.
ATV’s can ignite fires:
Setting off a human-caused fire can be as simple as a spark from an ATV, says Jeri Grant, Juan de Fuca Emergency Program Coordinator.
“Ensure your ATV has a spark arrestor to trap any escaping sparks,” says Grant. She adds that it’s important to inspect the ATV’s engine and muffler, for build-up of grass and other debris that may dry out and be easily ignited.
Determining wildfire cause:
The cause of a wildfire is determined by professional investigations. The BC Wildfire Service employs fire origin and cause specialists to conduct investigations in accordance with international standards. They may look for:
- Ignition sources
- Burn patterns
- Physical evidence
- Weather history
Wildfire investigations can be complex and may take weeks or even months to complete.
The Wildfire season summary shows a list of all wildfires of note with their associated cause. To view the cause of an active fire, click on the fire on the interactive map. If the cause states Unknown, then the cause hasn’t been determined yet.
