Weather pattern heating up

Despite the recent rain, the Kelowna Fire Department is urging the public to be cautious while using campfires.

Fire chief Rene Blanleil says even with the heavy weekend rain, Kelowna is still very dry.

“We’re tracking a similar drought pattern as we saw in 2003 and we urge everyone to be extremely cautious,” says Blanleil.

He says the fire danger rating for the area is high, with recent fires being reported north of Oliver and along the Okanagan Connector.

Environment Canada says over the long term, this year’s weather in the Okanagan is pretty similar to the weather from 2003.

Acting warning preparedness meteorologist, Gabor Friscka, says the Kelowna area is in for a dry spell.

“We are getting into a warmer pattern following the heavy rain we got over the weekend. The weather is going to stay on the hotter, warmer side for the next couple of weeks, which is about as far ahead as we can reasonably predict,” says Friscka.

He says the biggest difference between this year’s weather and the weather which lead up to the 2003 fire season is that this summer, we’ve had a lot more rain.

“When you look back at the weather from 2003 as a whole, starting from January, it looks very similar to what the whole weather for 2008 looks like. However, when you just look at the summer weather, then you see differences. In summer of 2003, between June and August, the Kelowna area received 23.6 millimeters of rain. Since June of this year, Kelowna has received 51 millimeters, almost double the amount,” says Friscka.

He says Kelowna received 154.2 millimeters total in 2003 and has received 159.5 millimeters total so far this year.

So far this year more than 500 campfire-caused incidents have been reported by the Kamloops Fire Centre, with 23 turning into wildfires.

No campfires are allowed in City or Regional District parks.