After almost eight years of pursuing funding, Kimberley City has successfully obtained $400,000 for a study on the potential impact of wildfires on its drinking water supply. This initiative originated from concerns raised during the 2018 Meachen Creek fire regarding the safety of local water sources.
Mathieu Bourbonnais, an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC) Okanagan and co-director of the Centre for Wildfire Coexistence, emphasized the importance of not taking drinking water for granted. He highlighted that wildfire incidents are altering environmental systems, which are crucial for providing clean water to communities.
Kimberley relies on the Mark Creek and Matthew Creek watersheds for its drinking water supply. The project’s primary goal is to identify risks associated with severe wildfires and develop strategies to mitigate these risks without compromising the water supply’s integrity.
The recent Matthew Creek wildfire, which triggered an evacuation alert for Kimberley, has reignited concerns about the vulnerability of the city’s watersheds. While wildland fire ecologist Bob Gray stated that the current fire is not likely to significantly impact water movement in watersheds, the potential consequences of a severe wildfire on the drinking water sources remain a major concern.
Bourbonnais and his team at UBC Okanagan are collaborating with the city and Gray to forecast potential fire behavior in the Mark Creek watershed. The research will assess various factors such as forest conditions, climate change projections, and their impact on water quality and streamflows up to 2060.
Furthermore, the study aims to determine where forest management practices like thinning, harvesting, and prescribed burning could be implemented to reduce wildfire risks. However, Bourbonnais emphasized the importance of balancing wildfire mitigation efforts with the preservation of hydrological systems to prevent adverse effects on water quality.
The project, funded by the Columbia Basin Trust and the city, is anticipated to span two years. Its outcomes are expected to inform future wildfire mitigation strategies and serve as a valuable resource for other communities facing similar challenges. Bourbonnais stressed the proactive approach to addressing wildfire risks, stating that inaction poses a greater threat than taking preemptive measures.
