Wildfires

 This year was a record year for wildfires. Although big population centers were spared (not like last year when 10,000 inhabitants of Williams Lake had to evacuate); 13,500 square kilometers of land were burned. One of the hardest hit places was the small northern community Telegraph Creek.

From the end of July to mid September much of BC was covered by smoke from the fires. The smoke put an end to thermic and long paragliding flights and obscured mountain views much to the displeasure of the many tourists. One positive outcome was that temperatures didn't climb too high.

We spend a weekend paddling Howe Sound with unusual views and missing mountains.

Anvil Island 2018 but the rest of the Howe Sound surround has gone missing

Anvil Island 2015

Chilko Lake Grizzlies - September

A photo club friend and expert bear photographer allowed me to tag along on one of his bear trips. Although I just had time for a couple of days between all my other travels this year and the drive was long, it was totally worth it. My usual bear encounters happen when hiking or driving and the bears almost always disappear more or less quickly. Which really is a good thing! I wouldn't be very happy about a curious bear inspecting me or my tent. But in fall in the Chilcotin mountains the bears feast on salmon and don't have much interest in anything else. It was amazing to watch these big animals for a long time and from a relatively close distance.

You are in my way!

Chilcotin River near Farwell Canyon

Fire Smoke in Vancouver, Aug 1

Wildfires happen every summer in BC but this year we have a particularly bad season. The wet and cool spring and early summer did surprisingly more harm than good since it encouraged the growth of grass and underbrush. After a stretch of hot and dry weather in early July the stage was set for big wildfires. At one time over 40,000 people had to be evacuated from towns as big as Williams Lake (10,000 inhabitants) in the Cariboo region of BC.

Wind directions changed to a northeasterly outflow and now Vancouver and the Fraser Valley are blanketed with the dense smoke of these fires. This makes for spectacular sunsets and prevented the temperatures to reach predicted record numbers. The North Shore mountains are obscured by the smoke and the setting sun has an eerily red color. But I'm certainly hoping for a change in wind directions to blow all this smoke away again!

Sunset at Lighthouse Park, looking across Howe Sound to Bowen Island

Sunset from the roof of our house (with a sunspot visible at 10 o'clock)

Satellite image of the smoke blowing out the Fraser Valley