The province’s power utility says British Columbians aren’t prepared for outages ahead of what’s expected to be an especially hot and dry wildfire season.
BC Hydro published the results of a recent survey Friday, finding “significant gaps remain in household planning and wildfire readiness.”
It says three in five respondents feel confident preparing for power outages caused by wildfires, but that doesn’t translate to many having made an action plan.
The survey found 61 per cent do not have an emergency plan, and over half do not have an emergency kit.
“This lack of planning is likely why nearly one-third say they do not feel prepared to be without power during a wildfire event lasting a full day or more,” said BC Hydro.
Spokesperson Susie Rieder says it’s important that BC Hydro customers take small steps to get ready.
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“These events are rare, but when they do happen, they’re very serious, and it’s very important to be prepared,” said Rieder.
“Especially with El Niño expected to bring those hotter and drier conditions later this year. It’s predicted to be quite a hot summer this year.”
She says an emergency kit should include batteries, a phone charger, and non-perishable food. She says an emergency plan should include telling friends and family members where to gather in the event of an outage, unplugging non-essential electrical appliances, and knowing where the main electrical switch is in your home.
“Just so that you can safely turn it off if an evacuation becomes necessary.”
PreparedBC, she noted, provides helpful guides on making emergency plans.
Rieder says BC Hydro prepares for wildfire season all year, training crews, clearing vegetation from power lines, and maintaining an inventory of hardware for quick deployment.
If your home is evacuated for more than five days due to a wildfire, she says you may qualify for a bill credit for electricity.
“That credit is applied automatically, and there’s no need to call.”
As of Friday morning, there are 21 active wildfires in B.C., nine of which started in the last 24 hours.