Heat dome and wildfire, what’s next?

Described by Meteorologist Tyler Hamilton, a heat dome is known as an intense high-pressure system that features descending air that compresses and warms to record levels at the surface. In late June, this very event occurred, as a new Canadian temperature record was set. Lytton, British Columbia (BC) Saw the mercury rise to 49.6C (121F). Much of BC was caught in the heat dome as well, resulting in temperature records being smashed across the province. To add to this already stressful situation, the wildfire season in BC is now in full swing. The incredibly dry conditions caused by the heat dome, along with lightning strikes are believed to be a contributor to many of the wildfires. It’s being reported there is currently more than 300 wildfires that continue to burn in the province. More than 1,102 wildfires have occurred so far this season as well, which is a significant jump from the 520 fires around this time last year. As a result of this, we are starting to see effects such as displacement and air quality issues. Many communities are facing evacuations and are preparing to flee at a moment’s notice and air quality alerts are in place for various areas within BC. Adding insult to injury, many Lytton community members were forced to escape as a wildfire quickly spread and decimated the area. This has resulted in up to ninety percent of the village of Lytton being destroyed and leaving many displaced and wondering where to go from here.

With such intense events occurring in BC, we are beginning to see additional related events arise. One that is being attributed to the extreme heat that passed through BC is the death of 808 BC residents, with many of them being seniors who lived alone in poorly ventilated homes. There is also the mass death of seashore animals, as the high temperatures may be responsible for killing more than one billion that live along the Salish Sea shoreline. Animals such as mussels and clams are just some of the species that have been affected and with the great loss of these two seashore species, there will also be a temporary effect on water quality, as mussels and clams help filter the sea. Another result from the heat wave is some trees in Vancouver have dried out and lost their leaves. This is quite alarming, as tree canopies play a significant role in cooling down parts of the city. Two species in particular, cherry and maple trees, are not expected to do well as the weather warms due to climate change. This is troubling, as maples and cherry’s make up 25 and 20 percent of all trees in the city, respectfully. Lastly, the heat wave is believed to have a worrisome impact on BC’s glaciers. Brian Menounos, Canada research chair in the glacier change, shares that the rapid snowmelt this early into summer causes the glaciers to be exposed to the warmer weather longer without the buffer of snow. These glaciers usually feed headwater streams with fresh water late in the summer, and not having that runoff because of the early melt could affect ecosystems and hydropower capacity. The melt also contributes to flooding, as the amount of snowmelt at higher elevations have contributed to flood warnings for many parts of the province.

In the face of climate events such as the intense heat wave and wildfire, Lytton First Nation shows resilience and aims to come back stronger. Members of the Lytton First Nation were displaced and scattered across BC when a wildfire raged across their territory. Council member John Haugen describes the Lytton territory as a “very powerful place” and believes the wildfire is going to make the people stronger. One way Haugen envisions this happening is by having the people work together and implement technology that can help combat the heat, especially if extreme temperatures become the new normal.