‘New reality’: Trudeau visits wildfire crews in B.C. as hundreds of blazes burn

KAMLOOPS (NEWS 1130) – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government needs to do a better job making sure First Nations have what they need to fight forest fires.

Trudeau acknowledges the gaps in resources for municipalities, which work with the province on wildfires, and First Nations, which fall under federal responsibility.

“We have to clear up those lines of flowing resources and ensuring that people get what they need, regardless of whether they’re in an Indigenous community or non-Indigenous community,” he says. “We need to make sure people are safe and that homes and livelihoods are protected.”

He adds things have improved since devastating wildfires in B.C. last year, but more work needs to be done to ensure everyone is equally protected.

“People have lived in these communities for generations, for millennia in the case of Indigenous communities, and there’s a deep attachment and watching your entire livelihood and perhaps your kids’ future going up in smoke is an extraordinarily difficult thing.”

Trudeau took some time away from a federal cabinet retreat in Nanaimo to visit central British Columbia, meeting with those working to control some of the 563 wildfires that have charred more than 6,000-square-kilometres of the province.

He has tasked several members of the federal cabinet with co-ordinating support, recovery and rebuilding efforts as the federal and B.C. governments work together to assist those affected by the fires.

The prime minister says it’s key for federal, provincial and municipal governments and indigenous leadership to keep the lines of communication open.

“To make sure that we learn how to protect people, how to protect livelihoods, and how we adjust to what is unfortunately a new reality of more extreme weather events across the province, across the country, and around the world,” he explains.

The wildfire danger map posted by the BC Wildfire Service shows a danger rating of extreme or high across most of the provinces and thousands are on evacuation alert or have already fled their homes.

Out-of-town support

With hundreds of blazes continuing to burn, crews are being stretched to the limit. That is why Vancouver has sent additional crews to help.

More than a dozen firefighters are currently lending a hand. They join other crews from around the Lower Mainland, province, country, and even world in fighting these wildfires.

Crews from as far as Mexico, New Zealand, and Australia have been brought in.

Air quality because of wildfires

Air quality across the province is still being impacted by the dense smoke coming from wildfires, however some cooler marine air has helped the situation slightly around the Lower Mainland.

An air quality advisory is still in effect due to elevated levels of fina particulate matter for both the Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley regions. Environment Canada says this will be the case until there’s a change in fire behaviour or weather conditions.

“Smoke concentrations may vary widely across the region as winds and temperatures change, and as wildfire behaviour changes,” the government’s website reads.

The advisory for Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley has also been expanded to include ground-level ozone.

It’s recommended to avoid any strenuous outdoor activity, especially in the mid-afternoon to early evening hours when “ozone levels are highest.”

Exposure is a particular concern for those very young, the elderly, or anyone who may have lung or heart disease, diabetes or asthma.

According to Environment Canada, ground-level ozone is formed when nitrogen oxides and “volatile organic compounds react in the air in the presence of sunlight.