Record-breaking wildfire season for British Columbia
British Columbia’s (BC) 2023 wildfire season is already the most destructive on record, according to figures by the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS)
Approximately 13,986km2 of land has been burned since 1 April, surpassing the previous full-year record set in 2018 of 13,543km2. This is despite the province’s wildfire season still being underway.
As of Monday 17 July, over 390 wildfires were currently active across BC, including 20 ‘wildfires of note’ – those that pose a threat to public safety.
The intensity of this year’s wildfire season has been accentuated by severe drought conditions. The provincial government confirmed in a statement: “British Columbia is experiencing severe drought levels and unprecedented conditions around the province.”
Drought levels in BC are measured on a 0-5 scale, with Drought Level 5 being the highest level of severity. The provincial government added that: “As of 13 July, two-thirds of BC’s water basins are at Drought Level 4 or 5.”
Bridger Aerospace dispatched six CL-415 Super Scoopers and a PC-12 to Canada in support of firefighting efforts earlier this year.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at AirMed&Rescue. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.