Review of 2024 wildfires

A lightning storm one evening in mid-July sparked one of the most dangerous and unprecedented wildfire seasons ever in the region, an RDCK emergency operations centre retrospective and review noted.

The July 17 evening — amidst the hottest and driest point of the summer — saw the creation of 98 wildfires within the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) after the lightning storm fizzled out, igniting the RDCK’s emergency operations centre (EOC) for the next five weeks as five evacuation alerts and 14 evacuation orders were issued across electoral areas D and H, affecting 2,113 properties.

The review — delivered to the RDCK board of directors on Oct. 17 by Dan Seguin, manager of Community Sustainability — stated that the wildfire situation spread so quickly in populated areas of the Slocan Valley (Area H), many of the fires were eventually combined into “complexes” with three wildfires of note.

Seguin noted that Silverton, Slocan, New Denver, Area H and Area D were each under a state of local emergency.

“Declaring a state of local emergency is required to provide emergency responses as detailed in the Emergency and Disaster Management Act, such as ordering evacuations, prohibiting travel, or entering private property when an emergency threatens lives, property, or objects or sites of heritage value within the local authority’s jurisdiction,” he said in the review.

Silverton and Slocan were on evacuation orders due to the wildfires, Seguin explained, and New Denver was on an evacuation alert, while portions of communities in Area H and Area D were on evacuation orders and alerts as well.

“As far back as corporate memory goes, there has never before been an evacuation order or alert for an entire municipality within the RDCK,” he said.

The EOC is responsible for issuing evacuation orders and alerts based on recommendations from experts such as the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS), maintaining security for evacuated areas and issuing temporary access permits.

Throughout the state of emergency several information sessions were held for residents impacted by the evacuation orders and alerts, held in partnership with BCWS, the RCMP and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

“These information sessions gave residents the opportunity to hear directly from officials and have their questions answered,” said Seguin.

All evacuation orders and alerts were rescinded as of Aug. 29, with EOC functions absorbed into regular RDCK emergency management staff responsibilities — a total of 60 RDCK staff were employed — and staff from other departments returning to regular work.

The reviews don’t stop after the EOC examination. The next step is a four-part, after action review, including an internal review, an inter-agency review, impacted elected officials review, and a review with residents of affected areas who were either on evacuation alert or order.

The results of this review will then be shared with the RDCK board. As well, the Ministry of Forests will provide post-wildfire risk assessment reports.

Impacts on communities

• 14 evacuation orders and five evacuation alerts were issued, affecting 2,113 addressed properties;

• Orders and alerts affected two electoral areas and three municipalities;

• Six primary dwellings and 13 outbuildings were lost;

• Three homes and two outbuildings experienced structural damage;

• Many more homes were impacted, including loss of freezers and refrigerators as well as their contents;

• In addition to suffering from property damage and financial impacts, evacuations can impact evacuees’ mental health and well-being;

• Air pollution from wildfires can also cause health impacts including inflammation, suppressed immune responses, worsening respiratory conditions, and worsening cardiovascular disease;

• Forests and watersheds were scorched to varying degrees by wildfires;

• Following a wildfire, the likelihood of occurrence of landslides, erosion, floods and snow avalanches within or downslope of the burned area can increase; and

• Rebuilding will take time.

Source: RDCK agenda, Oct. 17

Reception and resiliency

Reception centres were open during the evacuation orders to register residents, connect them with emergency support services volunteers and to address immediate needs.

The centres became resilience centres once the evacuation orders were rescinded in Argenta, Silverton and Slocan — lasting until Sept. 6 — in support of residents returning home after evacuation.

The centres offered information, resources, mental health support and connections with non-governmental organizations offering well-being support.

In all, around 60 RDCK staff participated in the EOC across various roles, with up to 30 people employed in EOC operations each day for the duration of the state of emergency. The EOC responsibilities were divided into four sections: operations; planning; logistics; and finance.

The EOC was also supported by municipal senior staff from Silverton, Slocan and New Denver, as well as elected officials from all affected areas.