After nearly eight years of efforts to secure funding, the City of Kimberley has successfully obtained $400,000 to conduct a study on the potential impact of wildfires on its drinking water supply. This initiative stems from concerns raised during the 2018 Meachen Creek fire regarding the susceptibility 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 activity can significantly alter the behavior of environmental systems responsible for water provision.
Kimberley sources its drinking water from the Mark Creek and Matthew Creek watersheds, where a severe wildfire could compromise both the quality and availability of water long after the fire has been extinguished. The project’s goal is to identify these risks and develop mitigation strategies that safeguard the water supply without introducing new challenges.
The recent Matthew Creek wildfire, which triggered a citywide evacuation alert, brought renewed attention to the vulnerability of Kimberley’s watersheds. While the immediate impact on water movement is expected to be minimal, there are concerns about the potential consequences of a more severe wildfire in these critical areas.
Bourbonnais and his team at UBC Okanagan are collaborating with the city and wildfire expert Bob Gray to simulate fire behavior in the Mark Creek watershed. The study will assess forest conditions, climate projections up to 2060, and the potential effects of a severe fire on water quality and flow patterns into reservoirs.
The research aims to fill gaps in understanding how large-scale wildfires could influence the hydrology of forested watersheds. By identifying suitable locations for forest management practices like thinning and prescribed burning, the project seeks to mitigate fire risks without compromising water resources. The modeling will inform targeted mitigation efforts to ensure they do not exacerbate erosion or sedimentation issues.
The project, funded by the Columbia Basin Trust and the city, is anticipated to span two years. Its outcomes will not only inform Kimberley’s future wildfire mitigation strategies but also provide valuable insights for other communities facing similar challenges. Taking proactive measures is deemed crucial, as the consequences of inaction are deemed greater than the risks associated with proactive planning.
