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CTV News
08-05-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
B.C. prepares for natural disasters as national emergency alert system tested
A nationwide emergency alert test is seen on a cellphone in B.C. (CTV News) British Columbians got a buzz in their pockets just before 2 p.m. on Wednesday. Canada's emergency public alerting system, Alert Ready, triggered a nationwide test on most screens, radio and cellphones. The province says that to initiate an alert, a list of criteria must be met. There must be a threat to human life, the threat must be immediate, and there must be recommended actions that may save lives. Depending on the emergency, different agencies – such as the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Resilience – can send alerts. The minister, Kelly Greene, told CTV News on Wednesday that the ministry can send alerts for events such as high-risk flood and wildfire evacuations, extreme heat emergencies, and tsunami warnings. Other emergencies – such as Amber Alerts and warnings about dangerous criminals – are alerted by the RCMP. 'Getting that urgent information to people is really important, and helping them make decisions and stay safer in times of emergencies,' said Greene via Zoom. In recent months, earthquakes have shaken homes and the ground beneath many British Columbians. Although the recent quakes have been relatively small, there remains an underlying fear that the 'big one' could strike at any time. Dr. Carlson Ventura, director of UBC's Earthquake Engineering Research Facility, explained that plenty of progress has been made in preparing for a potential large earthquake striking the West Coast, including updating building codes and alert systems. 'We have come a long way in that sense, but still there is room for improvement,' said Ventura. He says ensuring buildings, bridges, and highways are up to code is crucial to minimize potential damage. The threat of earthquakes also comes with the risk of devastating tsunamis. Brett Gilley, an associate professor and expert in natural disasters at UBC, explained on Wednesday that preparing for a tsunami is challenging. Previous disastrous events – such as the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia, which killed more than 230,000 people and impacted millions more – have provided insights that inform preparations in B.C. and around the world. 'We have a lot of good early warning systems. We're connected into a lot of systems in the Pacific,' said Gilley. 'We keep an eye specifically on the people on the outside coast for the big scenarios that could come anywhere from the Pacific.' CTV News asked Gilley how much time people on Vancouver Island would have to escape in the case of a large tsunami, and he said the answer varies depending on the location of the initial earthquake. If the quake happened on the other side of the Pacific Ocean from B.C.'s coast, he believes residents would have more than an hour to get away, but if it happened nearby, it would be a matter of minutes.
Epoch Times
07-05-2025
- Climate
- Epoch Times
Wildfire Prompts Evacuations in Fort St. John, BC, City Says
Firefighters from Fort St. John, B.C., and the provincial wildfire service were battling a blaze that prompted evacuations late Thursday, the city said. A bulletin on the city's website posted at 6:04 p.m. said the fire is located in the Fish Creek Community Forest on the northern outskirts of the city. The bulletin had directed evacuees from Rose Prairie Road and the Jones subdivision area to proceed to the Pomeroy Sport Centre. An update on the city's Facebook page around 9 p.m. stated the emergency support services reception centre at the Pomeroy had been closed. It did not provide the number of people forced out of their homes or any further details. The BC Wildfire Service website indicates the out-of-control blaze was discovered Thursday and spanned an estimated 0.56 square kilometres as of 7:32 p.m. The suspected cause of the fire is human activity. Related Stories 4/24/2025 3/31/2025 The service said it had 12 firefighters, two helicopters and airtankers working alongside crews from Fort St. John, Taylor and Charlie Lake. Kelly Greene, B.C.'s minister of emergency management, said in a social media post that she was aware of a fire affecting Fort St. John residents. The fire is one of nearly two dozen active across B.C. on Thursday, as the provincial government warned that a combination of warm, dry conditions and strong winds would raise the fire risk in southern parts of B.C. It's one of two blazes classified as burning out of control, the other being a 1.85-square-kilometre blaze that began as two separate fires about 30 kilometres southwest of Dawson Creek, which is located south of Fort St. John. A social media post from the wildfire service on Thursday said groundcrews were working to contain that fire with support from helicopters. It said southwesterly winds were pushing the fire toward Highway 52 North, also known as Heritage Highway, which was open to single-lane alternating traffic along a stretch between Brassey and Bearhole Lake roads. Meanwhile, Mounties in Tumbler Ridge, about 120 kilometres south of Dawson Creek, said a wildfire had destroyed their fibre optic connection, and telephone, cellphone, radio and internet services were down. An RCMP statement said anyone requiring police assistance in the Tumbler Ridge area will need to go to the detachment in person. Three other fires in the same cluster in the Dawson Creek area are classified as 'being held,' the wildfire service said, meaning the flames are not expected to spread beyond their existing area. A statement from the Forests Ministry earlier Thursday said the wildfire service was urging people to postpone any open burning until the windy conditions pass, and to use extra care for any backcountry camping. Forests Minister Ravi Parmar said weather over the next several days 'could set the stage for dangerous wildfire conditions across the province.' He said this time of year carries the highest risk of wildfires caused by human activity, most of which are 'entirely preventable.' Open burning prohibitions are expected to take effect in the coming weeks.
National Observer
02-05-2025
- Climate
- National Observer
Wildfire causes evacuations in Fort St. John, BC, city says
Firefighters from Fort St. John, BC, and the provincial wildfire service were battling a blaze that prompted evacuations late Thursday, the city said. A bulletin on the city's website posted at 6:04 p.m. said the fire is located in the Fish Creek Community Forest on the northern outskirts of the city. The bulletin had directed evacuees from Rose Prairie Road and the Jones subdivision area to proceed to the Pomeroy Sport Centre. An update on the city's Facebook page around 9 p.m. stated the emergency support services reception centre at the Pomeroy had been closed. It did not provide the number of people forced out of their homes or any further details. The BC Wildfire Service website indicates the out-of-control blaze was discovered Thursday and spanned an estimated 0.56 square kilometres as of 7:32 p.m. The suspected cause of the fire is human activity. The service said it had 12 firefighters, two helicopters and airtankers working alongside crews from Fort St. John, Taylor and Charlie Lake. Kelly Greene, BC's minister of emergency management, said in a social media post that she was aware of a fire affecting Fort St. John residents. The fire is one of nearly two dozen active across BC on Thursday, as the provincial government warned that a combination of warm, dry conditions and strong winds would raise the fire risk in southern parts of BC. It's one of two blazes classified as burning out of control, the other being a 1.85-square-kilometre blaze that began as two separate fires about 30 kilometres southwest of Dawson Creek, which is located south of Fort St. John. A social media post from the wildfire service on Thursday said groundcrews were working to contain that fire with support from helicopters. It said southwesterly winds were pushing the fire toward Highway 52 North, also known as Heritage Highway, which was open to single-lane alternating traffic along a stretch between Brassey and Bearhole Lake roads. Meanwhile, Mounties in Tumbler Ridge, about 120 kilometres south of Dawson Creek, said a wildfire had destroyed their fibre optic connection, and telephone, cellphone, radio and internet services were down. An RCMP statement said anyone requiring police assistance in the Tumbler Ridge area will need to go to the detachment in person. Three other fires in the same cluster in the Dawson Creek area are classified as "being held," the wildfire service said, meaning the flames are not expected to spread beyond their existing area. A statement from the Forests Ministry earlier Thursday said the wildfire service was urging people to postpone any open burning until the windy conditions pass, and to use extra care for any backcountry camping. Forests Minister Ravi Parmar said weather over the next several days "could set the stage for dangerous wildfire conditions across the province." He said this time of year carries the highest risk of wildfires caused by human activity, most of which are "entirely preventable." Open burning prohibitions are expected to take effect in the coming weeks. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 1, 2025.
