British Columbia Wildfires: Emergency Prep with EcoFlow Power Solutions
British Columbia's wildfire season is growing longer, hotter, and more destructive than ever before. With record-breaking fires impacting more communities yearly, preparing in advance is essential to protecting your family and home. From identifying fire-prone areas and evacuation routes to building a grab-and-go kit and safeguarding your home, this guide covers everything you need to stay safe when wildfire danger inevitably strikes. Now, let’s get ready and get prepared for this wildfire season.
Why Are Wildfires Happening in British Columbia?
Wildfires are influenced by weather, fuels, and ignition. As the climate warms, we’re experiencing a longer fire season with increased lightning activity that often starts wildfires. Other factors include the ongoing droughts in BC, which are drying our forests, and the pine beetle kill that has left plenty of additional fuel. Another factor is the century of fire suppression, which fights against our natural fire ecology and has added to those dangerously high fuel levels. Additional risks include forestry, agriculture, population growth, and urban expansion into high fire-risk areas. These factors combine to create the perfect storm, leading to BC's 2023 record-breaking wildfire season.
Where Are the Wildfire Risk Areas in BC?
According to data from the University of British Columbia, the Cariboo District (North of the Okanagan Valley), Quesnel, Williams Lake, Clearwater, and 100 Mile House are at extreme risk of wildfire. Within the Rocky Mountains, the municipalities of Cranbrook, Invermere, and Radium are at extreme risk. However, with rising temperatures and ongoing droughts, fires can and do occur anywhere, including coastal and northern regions of the province.
How To Prepare for British Columbia Wildfires: A Step-By-Step Guide
Knowing what to do when wildfires strike helps reduce anxiety and can make the difference between safety and disaster.
Step 1. Know The Risks
BC experiences 1600 wildfires each year on average. They’re often located in forests far from homes and infrastructures, but some do threaten homes and lives. Know if you are in a high-risk area for forest fires, like the Cariboo District, Quesnel, 100 Mile House, Cranbrook, and the other regions mentioned above, but also know that they can and do strike anywhere in the province.
Staying updated on wildfire dangers is essential. You can use the BC Wildfire Service app, which is available for Android and Apple users. Also, it’s helpful to follow @EmergencyInfoBC on X (Twitter) or the BC Wildfire Service on Facebook.
Step 2. Create an Emergency Plan
Next, prepare an emergency plan for your household, including who to contact in an emergency, how to contact them, and where to meet up if you become separated. If you cannot meet in person, consider a virtual meeting place like Facebook. Ensure every household member has contact information on their phones or in an emergency kit.
Since wildfires can cut off evacuation routes, have multiple evacuation routes planned. Before you leave, check DriveBC for current road conditions. However, if you are under an evacuation order, follow the instructions given by emergency personnel.
Practice a wildfire drill with your family once a year to ensure everyone knows what to do. Also, go over the contents of your emergency kit and what to do with it, including some basic first aid. Your yearly drill is also the perfect time to refresh your food, water, and medical supplies, and recharge your flashlights and portable power devices.
Step 3. Know Your Evacuation Stages
If you’re under an Evacuation Alert, you should be ready to leave on short notice. Prepare your grab-and-go bags, gather important documents and cherished memos, and pack everything in your vehicle. Also, prepare your pets and ensure you have a half-full gas tank or a half-charged battery. Disconnect your automatic garage door opener so you can open it by hand if the power goes out, or park outside.
If you’re under an Evacuation Order, you must leave immediately. On your way out, close all doors and windows and turn on exterior lights so your home is visible to firefighters. Follow all instructions from emergency officials on where to go; don’t attempt a different route, as it may be impassable.
If you get an Evacuation Rescind, the threat has passed, and you can return home as long as the roads are passable.
Step 4. Create an Emergency Supply Kit
Wildfires mean evacuation, so create a portable emergency supply kit that you can grab quickly. A sturdy bag or an easy-to-carry bin with handles is ideal. Keep one in your home and at work. Also, ensure you have emergency essentials for your car.
Keep the following in your grab-and-go emergency kit:
4 litres of water per day per person to last 3 days
Non-perishable food for each person for 3 days
Can opener, eating utensils
Food and water for your pets, leash or carrier if needed
Complete first aid kit, including burn bandages and ointments
Essential prescription drugs, if necessary
Fire extinguisher
Emergency whistle
Soap, toilet paper, hand sanitizer
Rechargeable LED flashlights
Multi-tool and duct tape
Seasonal clothing for each family member
EcoFlow RAPID Magnetic Power Bank: This compact and portable power bank will keep your phone charged so you can stay connected and informed.
Step 5. Get an Emergency Power Supply
Wildfires are one of the common causes of power outages in BC. A backup power supply is essential to staying connected and receiving emergency updates.
The EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus is perfect for power outages. With its 1024Wh output, it has plenty of power to run your refrigerator and charge your devices, but it's still compact enough to grab and go if you’re under an evacuation order. Or, get two so you can leave one at home running your fridge while you bring the other in your car. Since it uses no fossil fuels, there’s no risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, which kills 300 people yearly in Canada. Using solar panels for recharging it will help you stay connected even during extended outages.
Step 6. Protect Your Home
You can also reduce wildfire risks around your home by understanding FireSmart’s three Home Ignition Zones and taking action to prevent them. This includes keeping combustible materials like shrubs and firewood away from your home, planting fire-resistant vegetation farther away from your home, cleaning up low branches and fallen leaves, and other FireSmart activities to reduce the intensity of a wildfire and slow its spread. You can find more information on this in the PreparedBC Wildfire Preparedness Guide.
Another final consideration is ensuring your home insurance policy covers wildfire damage since disaster financial assistance is unavailable for wildfire losses. Contact your insurance representative for clarification.
How Do I Report a Wildfire in British Columbia?
To report a wildfire or any inappropriate behaviour that could cause one, like an unattended campfire or an open-burning violation, call 1-800-663-5555 toll-free. You can also call *5555 on your cellphone.
Additionally, take pictures—only if you can safely do so—as these help inform the public and BC Wildfire Services. You can submit pictures and report wildfires using the BC Wildfire Service app on your phone, which you can download on Google Play or the App Store for Apple users.
If your power is out, use your EcoFlow Portable Power Station to recharge your devices to report wildfires and stay connected for emergency updates and evacuation orders in your area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are BC Wildfires Getting Worse?
Yes, our forests are drying out as the climate warms and prolonged droughts continue. A century of fire suppression and Pine Beetle kill have created conditions with excess fuel, worsening the problem. Always be alert and prepared for when the inevitable happens.
Where Are the Okanagan Fires?
In the central Okanagan Valley, the McDougall Creek, Clark Creek, and Walroy Lake areas faced devastating destruction during the record-breaking 2023 wildfire season. These regions, known for their scenic beauty, were severely impacted by intense fires, prompting widespread evacuations on both sides of Okanagan Lake to ensure public safety.
Final Thoughts
Wildfires in British Columbia are becoming more frequent and intense, but being prepared can significantly reduce your risk. From understanding evacuation alerts and orders to building your emergency plan and securing reliable backup power, every step you take now makes managing future emergencies less stressful and more successful. The EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus is essential to your preparedness, offering safe, emission-free power when you need it most so you can stay connected and informed when the grid goes down. Don’t wait for the next wildfire alert; get prepared today and stay safe.