BC Hydro warns of potential outages after summer heat, drought

BC Hydro is warning its customers to expect an increase in power outages this fall.

The utility provider’s meteorologists are warning of what they call an “elevated risk of significant power disruption” in the event of a windstorm this fall. An unusually hot, dry summer caused substantial damage to trees around the province this year, they say, and damaged trees can wreak havoc on infrastructure.

“Trees and adverse weather are the number one cause of power outages in B.C.,” said BC Hydro spokesperson Susie Rieder. “We have a lot of trees in this province, more than most utilities per kilometre of powerline.”

John Richardson, a professor of forest and conservation sciences at UBC, says many of the trees in B.C. didn’t get enough water during what was one of the driest summers on record, so they dried up and became fragile.

“The trees operate by drawing water up, almost like a straw,” Richardson said. “And these are very, very tiny little straws, but they have to draw water all the way from the ground, right up to where the leaves are. If it doesn’t work, they end up with little air pockets in those straws. And then it weakens.”

But that isn’t the only problem, he says.

“The soils themselves have also been weakened, and so we end up with a lot more erosion,” he said. “And if you start getting erosion, especially on sort of steep landscapes, those trees are just going to come down with it as well.”

BC Hydro says crews have had to replace more than 1,400 power poles and close to 90 km of power line since May, largely because of the destructive wildfires.

The Crown corporation says crews are “ramping up” for storms to come.

To prevent similar issues going forward, BC Hydro says its working on its vegetation management program, which includes regular maintenance of tasks like inspecting trees and other plants near buildings.

It’s urging British Columbians to prepare for outages by keeping an emergency kit that could last at least 72 hours handy, with things like flashlights, batteries, non-perishable foods, water, and medication.