BC Wildfire Service prepares for busy season despite no active “zombie” fires in the area
After last year’s intense fire season, people are fearful about what this season will bring, especially since there are some fires which have been burning underground all winter.
Holdover fires, also knows as “zombie fires” arise when a fire from the prior fall continues to burn over the winter, and re-emerges the following spring.
While a number of these fires are already making smoke in the, roughly 336000 square kilometre Prince George Fire District, Val Lucas of the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) reports that none of them are currently within a 100km radius of the Prince George municipality. Although we can breathe easy for now, a Category 2 & 3 Fire Ban comes into effect March 28th, signifying the severity of the current drought conditions.
CFUR News explores the factors which could affect this year’s fire season.