How Wildfires Are Affecting You & How You Can Prepare for Them

Rising temperatures, smoke filled air, weather warnings. We experienced this and much more this past summer. The weather got much worse before it got better, as the wildfires across our beloved province increased. Places such as Lytton hit an all-time high of 41.4 C. British Columbia’s South Coast experienced an eight-day stretch of heat without a single break. The weather seemed to be the topic of endless discussion amongst Vancouverites, as were all the negative effects the wildfires had brought upon us. In this post you will read about how the wildfires in British Columbia have impacted us near and far, and what you can do to help prevent further damage to the things we love the most.

Wildfires & Rise in Sea Levels –

Soot is black powdery or flaky substance consisting largely of amorphous carbon, produced by the incomplete burning matter. Just last year, for the first time in history, scientists have been able to track soot from Canadian wildfires all the way to the Greenland ice sheet. Some may wonder why this should be something relevant. Let’s begin by painting a little picture. The particles that have landed on the ice have had a significant effect on the rising sea levels. The soot that has transferred from Canada over to Greenland could contribute to a whapping of over 20 feet sea level rise.

How wildfires are affecting the things you love the most –

We continuously hear about how global warming is changing the planet bit by bit, everyday. But climate change is also affecting our lives daily as much as long term. Take a look at how these changes to our planet are impacting us.

• • 1. This is a calling to all our beer lovers. Did you know climate change is affecting the three key ingredients needed to make beer? Breweries are encountering a shortage of clean water to brew their batches. Also, not to mention that barley crops have been damaged in recent heavy rains that also have resulted in floods and other damaged crops. In a final stretch, it either leads to increased prices for your favorite batch of beer, or a decrease in production.
       
       
    2. Rapid spike in prices for your groceries. Climate change is affecting agriculture supply globally. According to IPCC (intergovernmental panel on climate change) extreme weather events were followed by rapid increases in food prices.
    3. Your favorite lakes could be impacted by climate change. Did you know that one-third of the world’s major lakes and rivers are drying up?
    4. How much do you love that hot steamy cup of coffee in the morning? Couldn’t live without it? Well, most coffee beans come from the arabica coffee tree which thrives and grows on cool mountain slopes. As the temperatures rise, growers are having to go further up mountains to grow these beans that you love so much. But hey, that’s just a temporary fix. If climate change does not make a shift in the right direction, we could lose up to 59 percent of our coffee growing area by the end of the century. By 2050, we could lose close to 50 percent of land that’s compatible to grow coffee.
       
       

• What you can do to prevent wildfires –

• There are a few simple things that we can do to prevent these events from taking place. We’ve put together a small gentle reminder list for you. Take a look below and remember it the next time you’re smoking a cigarette or lighting a bonfire with some friends.

1. If you witness any sort of an outdoor fire that is not attended, call 911 or your local fire department.
2. When camping, ensure you take care when using stoves or heaters. Ensure all lighting and heating devices are cool before you refuel.
3. Do not discard cigarettes, matches or smoking material in general from a moving vehicle or anywhere near park grounds or a forest.

Preparing yourself for a wildfire –

We saved the most important point for last, how to prepare yourself for a wildfire. No one prepares for a disaster, until we have been unfortunate enough to experience one. We understand it’s easier to be naïve than prepare for a disaster. However, constructing a plan for your home and the environments you cherish the most could prevent you from losing the things you treasure the most. This is all whilst ensuring you are doing your part in securing the future of our planet.

British Columbia is such a beautiful place to reside; nonetheless, summer months also bring wildfires in all their glory. For more information on how wildfires impact our environment and what steps you can take to safeguard your home, check out our detailed post on wildfire and environment. Contact us to establish and arrange a plan for your loved ones. Here at Spiedr, we ensure our products and specialists go that extra mile to provide you with all you need to protect and defend your home and loved ones. Pledge to keep your loved ones out of harm’s way during the upcoming wildfire season.