Is This The New Normal?

PRINCE GEORGE- You may have heard the phrase “The New Normal” in regards to the wildfire season in recent weeks. After back-to-back wildfire seasons that forced thousands from their homes, and prompted province-wide state of emergencies, it’s on the minds of many. Researchers say there a number of factors that have led to severe wildfire seasons including climate change, an abundance of beetle kill, and fire suppression in BC. “One of the biggest things is increasing amounts of fuel on the forest floor and that’s mostly due to things like mountain pine beetle,” said UNBC Ecologist Kathy Lewis,”the fact that we’ve been suppressing fires for so long, fires haven’t had a chance to burn that fuel like they normally would.”

UNBC Meteorologist, Peter Jackson, says the prolonged spells of hot and dry weather that add to fire growth are thanks to climate change. “We’re seeing and expecting to continue seeing an increased frequency of hot and dry summers,” said Jackson. Both Jackson and Lewis say it’s possible severe wildfires will continue unless changes are made. “As human society, we need to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, reduce carbon and CO2 and methane, the gasses that are really causing these changes to occur,” added Jackson.

“We really need to get on top of fuel management, especially in communities,” said Lewis,”that can be done mechanically or through prescribed burns but we absolutely need to be putting more resources into that now and hopefully spending less down the road on fire suppression.”

Wildfires have always happened in nature and will continue to happen as long as there is lightening. They are beneficial to forest ecosystems by reducing over mature trees and allowing new growth to thrive. Experts say human involvement may help to prevent the same massive, out of control burns in the future.