No rain in long-range B.C. forecast as wildfires, drought worsen

We may be in a new month, but the weather pattern in B.C. is not changing.

Conditions remain tinder dry across much of the province, as crews try to keep up with growing wildfires and worsening drought conditions.

A map from the BC Wildfire Service showing the locations of fires in the province as of Aug. 1, 2023. (Courtesy BC Wildfire Service)

Climate scientists have long been predicting July is set to be the hottest month on record all around the world — the warmest in 120,000 years — as temperatures sizzled in Canada and heatwaves hit the U.S., Europe, North Africa, and Asia.

“July 2023 will shatter records across the board,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres late last month.

Many British Columbians are certainly feeling that at home.

Related video: Water restrictions in Metro Vancouver are getting tighter in August

CityNews Meteorologist Michael Kuss says there has been next to no rain in July, and August is shaping up to be much of the same.

“It hasn’t been an overly hot summer. Temperatures have been a little above average. It’s been the lack of precipitation and that trend will continue for, at least, the next couple of weeks. No real rain in sight over that stretch. We could see a few sprinkles along the South Coast next week, but not the precipitation we need,” he explained.

The only rain Metro Vancouver saw last month fell on July 24 and 25.

“It amounted to just over 20 millimetres of rain. In fact, over the last three months, we’ve had eight days of rain for a total of 56.5 millimetres of precipitation — that’s an average month, not an average quarter,” added Kuss, who points out August is traditionally  the driest month of the year for the South Coast.

Related articles: 

• Osoyoos community comes together as wildfire forces evacuations

• Rain brings some relief to Metro Vancouver

• Metro Vancouver moving to Stage 2 water restrictions

Any rain would be welcomed as the drought situation worsens. On Aug. 4, Metro Vancouver is set to move to Stage 2 water restrictions, which means people can’t water their lawns, or top-up or put water in the pool.
This is the first time the Metro Vancouver region has gone to Stage 2 since 2015.

The regional district says it’s tightening the rules because of the hot, dry weather, and because water usage is way up.

Meanwhile, there is some good news for people who were forced out of their homes near Osoyoos because of a massive wildfire that’s exploded in size.

Evacuation orders have been rescinded but alerts remain in place.

Recently, the federal government confirmed 2023 was the worst wildfire season on record because of thousands of wildfires across the country. Millions of hectares have been burned so far this season.