Why you can’t just blame climate change for B.C. being on fire

24 July 2021

CANADA – With more than 300 active fires and thousands under evacuation orders, B.C. is currently on the fast track to the most destructive wildfire season in its history.

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Although the fires have become an emblem around the world of the destructive effects of climate change, many of the province’s forestry experts are pointing out that while climate change makes fires more likely, it’s poor forestry management that is helping to make them more destructive.

“Even if we were able to turn back the dial on climate change we would still have wildfires that are severe and would burn people’s houses down,” said Jesse Zeman, director of fish and wildlife restoration with the B.C. Wildlife Federation.

“Climate change just makes everything worse.”

Starting in 2017, B.C. started experiencing fire seasons that were way off the charts of anything in the province’s recorded history. In 2017, the province saw 1.2 million hectares burned by wildfires — a full 40 per cent higher than the previous record-holder of 855,968 hectares burned in 1958.

24. July 2021/by GFMCadmin