The devastating loss of firefighter Devyn Gale in the midst of battling wildfires in British Columbia has brought forth a profound sense of grief and sadness across Canada, reports The Guardian on July 15. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, along with various officials and citizens, has expressed their condolences to Devyn's family.
In a tweet on July 14, Trudeau wrote: “The news from British Columbia – that one of the firefighters bravely battling wildfires has lost her life – is heartbreaking. At this incredibly difficult time, I’m sending my deepest condolences to her family, her friends and her fellow firefighters.”
Devyn Gale, a dedicated 19-year-old firefighter, tragically lost her life when she was struck by a fallen tree while clearing brush near Revelstoke. Her brother, Nolan Gale, shared heartfelt words about her kindness, intelligence, and work ethic, emphasising her positive impact on others. The British Columbia premier, David Eby believes that the loss of such a promising individual at such a young age is truly heartbreaking.
The death of Devyn Gale underscores the challenges faced by the BC Wildfire Service, already grappling with an unprecedented wildfire season. The province of British Columbia is witnessing widespread fires, with over 350 active blazes consuming vast areas of land. The scale of the fires has prompted authorities to request an additional 1,000 international firefighters to join the efforts.
These wildfires have not been confined to British Columbia alone, as large swathes of eastern Canada also experience significant fire activity. Quebec, in particular, has required military assistance to facilitate emergency evacuations in the northern regions. The severity of the fires is further compounded by record-high wildfire emissions, indicating the immense environmental impact of these ongoing blazes.
The challenging conditions faced by firefighters can be attributed, in part, to an exceptional drought, resulting from a lack of rain in recent months. The drought has left British Columbia parched and vulnerable to the outbreak and rapid spread of fires. Despite the tireless efforts of the 2,000 firefighters on the ground, the fires have already engulfed a staggering 1.2 mn hectares of forest—an alarming figure far exceeding the 10-year average.
With hot weather predicted to persist and thunderstorms anticipated to bring additional lightning strikes, the situation remains highly precarious. Cliff Chapman, director of provincial operations for BC Wildfire, warns of the increasing number of fire starts compared to previous years. The recent occurrence of 51,000 lightning strikes in just one week further underscores the volatile conditions and the potential for more fires to ignite.
On July 9, Daryo mentioned that, Canada has broken its previous record for the largest extent of land burned by wildfires in a single season, as the number of fires has more than doubled since June. As of July 5, approximately 88,000 square kilometers of land have been engulfed by fires, surpassing the average amount burned by that date over the past ten years.
Comments (0)