Sunday March 28, 2021 | SOUTH VANCOUVER ISLAND, BC [Update at 4:22 pm]
by Mary P Brooke, Editor | Island Social Trends
It’s been a windy blustery day with lots of power outages in the BC lower mainland (58,184 customers presently without power at 4 pm), but not nearly as many on North Vancouver Island (5,917 in areas including Campbell River, Courtenay, Nanaimo, Port Alberni, Sayward and Qualicum Beach), and just a few on South Vancouver Island (396 in areas with wind exposure).
[Update: as of 4:05 pm there were another 560 customers without power — on Saturna Island East of Swartz Bay-Saturna Is Ferry Road, bringing the South Vancouver Island outage total to 956.]
Environment Canada advised of an intense Pacific cold front crossing Vancouver Island today. Strong westerly winds developed in the wake of the front this afternoon, especially near the Juan De Fuca Strait.
Winds will begin to ease by late this evening as a ridge builds over the region. West winds of 70 km/h gusting to 90 will continue near Juan De Fuca Strait this evening, says Environment Canada.
South Vancouver Island outage profile:
As of 4 pm, still 376 customers have been without power (since 1:22 pm). A BC Hydro crew is on site in the area around Shirley, west of Trimmer Place, as accessed by Highway 14 west of Sooke. Wires are down due to the wind (probably impacting one or more of the many trees in the seaside forested area).
Also 10 customers are without power in south Oak Bay since 3:35 pm. Crew not on site yet (as of 4 pm).
A handful of people (about five in each location) are without power in Central Saanich, Duncan, Galiano Island and Saanich (in Gordon Head near the ocean).
Electricity in our lives:
BC Hydro says that if you see our crews to please respect COVID-19 physical distancing and stay back at least two metres.
Last night was the annual Earth Hour during which electricity users are asked to reduce their consumption — symbolically by turning out lights for an hour.
