Thursday, August 3, 2023 edition - Only you can (not) prevent wildfires

Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023 | 🌞 High 24C

Good morning!

I grew up on a farm but was never much of a cowgirl—except in a very literal sense. We didn’t have livestock, but my friends down the road had lots of cows. Some were very well-behaved, and we would clamber up on their backs and sit on them as they wandered around the pasture.

The first link in our Need-to-Know section this morning focuses on the problems ranchers—and their cows— are facing throughout the province during the drought. It’s definitely an interesting read.

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WORTH KNOWING

🌤 Local forecast: Langley | Chilliwack | Abbotsford | Hope

⚠️ Here’s the current smoke forecast / Check the BC Wildfire Dashboard here

🚘 Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google, and find DriveBC’s latest updates.

NEWS

Only you can (not) prevent wildfires

A bird touches a power line and explodes in a ball of feathers and flame. Its carcass falls to the ground, setting the dried-out brush ablaze.

Another “human-caused” fire has begun.

Every year, hundreds of wildfires in British Columbia are declared to be “human-caused.” Such statements regularly prompt declarations that if only people behaved themselves, wildfires wouldn’t be quite so disrupting. Others increasingly use the statistic to conspiratorially blame wildfires on “arsonists.”

But as our unfortunate bird demonstrates, many fires blamed on humans aren’t actually related to reckless behaviour. Instead, humans play a much more complex and varied influence on wildfire ignitions than many realize. And that has a bearing on how—and when—we seek to prevent such blazes.

• Today, Tyler writes about what we know—and don’t know—about how humans cause wildfires, how ignitions are only one part of the people problem, and why responsible outdoor behaviour might help, but won’t stop the smokeouts.

Need to know

🐮 Farmers and ranchers are struggling to feed their herds during BC’s drought [The Narwhal]

🏌️ Abbotsford golfer Nick Taylor talks about what it feels like to win the Canadian Open

👉 The man accused of killing an innocent student in Abbotsford in a case of wrong identity is alleged to have rapped about a previous killing; his trial concluded Wednesday [Vancouver Sun]

🏳️‍🌈 A brewery in Langley is receiving backlash online after cancelling planned drag events [CTV]

🐟️ Plans to extract gravel from the Vedder River were put on hold after criticism from environmental groups [Chilliwack Progress]

🐶 A mother is looking for her daughter’s dog after a crash on the Coquihalla Highway [North Shore News]

🌈 The pride flag was raised at Langley City’s municipal hall on Wednesday [Langley Advance Times]

🖌️ Mural painting has begun for this year’s festival in Chilliwack [Chilliwack Progress]

👉️ An Aldergrove man pled guilty to child porn possession charges [Langley Advance Times]

👻 ‘Tis already the season: a Spirit Halloween store is popping up in Chilliwack [Chilliwack Progress]

⛳️ The Abbotsford Hospice Society raised more than $80K at a golf fundraiser [Fraser Valley Today]

🧒 Some Langley parents are struggling for childcare after an explosion in Willoughby damaged a daycare [Langley Advance Times]

🚨 A man was seriously injured while being arrested for an indecent act in Abbotsford [Abbotsford News]

🚧 Construction work will close 232 Street between 48 and 56 Avenues for a month [Langley Advance Times]

📷 CURRENT CAM: Congrats to Laura Reid, who was the first to identify Red Chillies Bar in Chilliwack as the location of yesterday’s Current Cam photo.

The Agenda

Rancho banquet hall property slated for townhomes

A former Abbotsford banquet hall and wedding venue is slated to be replaced by a new townhouse development.

Evertek Engineering has filed an application to build 51 townhomes on the Delair Road property occupied by of The Rancho, an events hall that has hosted weddings, funerals, fashion shows, political conferences and banquets and a variety of other gatherings since 1959.

Although it didn’t own the property, the city initiated the rezoning of the site in 2018 to permit a future townhouse development. Two years later, the property was sold for $4.6 million. It is now assessed at just under $7 million.

Now, online records show an engineering company applied for a development permit to build a new townhouse complex. Because rezoning has already been completed, a public hearing will not be required.

Throwback Thursday

The first tramcars arrived in Chilliwack on Oct. 3, 1910 after the last pieces of the interurban electric rail line were hammered into place. The trams would run between Vancouver and Chilliwack until buses and cars took over the streets by the late 1950s.

🗓 Things to do

Ongoing, Aug. 3 to 9

🎩 Brigade Days: The Fort Langley National Historic Site is holding their annual Brigade Days event from Saturday, Aug. 5 to Monday, Aug. 7. Watch historical re-enactors as they demonstrate the games, music, and skills of the Hudson’s Bay Company era. Details online.

🐷 Abbotsford fair: The Abbotsford Agrifair and all its accoutrements—from horse shows to pig races to wrestling to a demolition derby—is happening from Friday, Aug. 4 to Sunday, Aug. 6. Details online.

❓️ Play: Secondary Characters is staging performances of the Dr. Seuss-inspired “Seussical” at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre daily until Sunday, Aug. 6. Tickets online.

🏌️‍♂️ Golf tournament: The PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada will run from Tuesday, Aug. 8 to Friday, Aug. 11 at Abbotsford’s Ledgeview Golf Course. Find details online.

Thursday, Aug. 3

🌈 Langley Pride: Celebrate Pride at KPU with Friends of Dorothy Langley. This free event for youth from 12 - 24 years old (parents welcome!) will include performances, games, and activities. Info online.

🎻 Outdoor concert: Tiller’s Folley, a Celtic/folk band, will play at the Willoughby Community Park Amphitheatre on Thursday, Aug. 3 at 7pm. Admission is free, bring your own lawn chairs. More info online.

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