As the mercury rises in the Okanagan, so do anxieties as wildfires tear through the Prairies. West Kelowna fire chief Jason Brolund, however, says he and his crew are prepared but not worried.
“We are ready. Our level of preparedness is as high of a level as it’s been and we will take these fires as they come,” said Brolund.
With the West Kelowna Fire Department set for duty, they are asking the public to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
“Just because we had a fire doesn’t mean that we won’t have another one, and it’s not a reason to not prepare,” said Brolund.
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“It’s actually a reason to prepare.”
It’s a reminder of the role that embers played in the McDougall Creek Wildfire that tore through the Central Okanagan in 2023, emphasizing how important it is for residents to take preventative measures.
“An ember storm is just like a snowstorm in the winter. If you have snow that builds up in a particular place around your home during the winter, that is where embers are going to build up,” said Brolund.
BC Wildfire Service says its crews are also prepared and ready, having already tackled a number of wildfires so far this year.
“Since April 1, 2025, we have had 42 fires in the Kamloops Fire Centre and 90 hectares burned, and currently there are zero active wildfires,” said Shae Stearns, BC Wildfire Service.
On May 28, temperatures rose to 30C for the first time this year. However, Environment Canada is warning that thunderstorms are in the forecast.
“Even though we’re seeing temperatures kind of five to 10 degrees above normal for this time of year, starting tomorrow, we’re going to see the upper trough come through. This going to drop temperatures down a bit,” said Bobby Sekhon, Environment Canada meteorologist.
Whether or not this will be a particularly bad wildfire season is still up for debate. However, that can change as quickly as the weather.
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