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Whistler Fire hazard expected to move into Extreme
More bans and delays for construction sector likely
by Andrew Mitchell
The Wildfire Management Branch is predicting that the fire risk for Whistler will move into Extreme by Saturday and continue through Sunday as hot, dry conditions continue.
There was no forecast for Monday on the www.bcwildfire.ca website, but if the risk remains at Extreme for three consecutive days then new restrictions will come into effect.
Currently, after being at High for a week, construction, forestry and blasting work in the interface - within 10 metres of the forest - must wrap up by 1 p.m. every day, to be followed by a two-hour fire watch. As well, campfires and backyard fire bans are not allowed, and punishable by a fine, until the region sees at least three consecutive days of Moderate risk.
That's not likely to happen anytime soon, with the temperature breaking 30 degrees Celsius on Friday - the first time that's happened since 2010 - and high temperatures predicted through early next week. There's no precipitation on the horizon, although there's a chance of thunderstorms in the forecast for Saturday morning.
If, as predicted, the fire hazard climbs to Extreme and stays there for three days, new bans would kick in as early as Monday, including bans on barbecues in public parks and blanket bans on wood-fired barbecues. Construction, forestry and blasting work inside the interface will be halted immediately, and certain types of outside work activities permitted outside the 10-metre zone must be followed by two-hour fire watches.
There are currently no wildfires of note (over 10 hectares) in the Coastal Fire Zone.
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