After almost eight years of pursuing funding, Kimberley City has successfully obtained $400,000 to conduct a study on the potential impact of wildfires on its drinking water supply. The initiative originated from the 2018 Meachen Creek fire, which heightened concerns about 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 how people often take their access to drinking water for granted. He highlighted the crucial role of the environment in providing this essential resource and how wildfires are altering natural systems.
Kimberley’s drinking water is sourced from the Mark Creek and Matthew Creek watersheds, which could face quality and availability challenges in the aftermath of a severe wildfire. The project’s objective is to identify these risks and develop mitigation strategies without compromising the water supply.
The recent Matthew Creek wildfire, which triggered an evacuation alert for the entire city, has drawn attention to the vulnerabilities of Kimberley’s watersheds. While the fire is not anticipated to significantly impact water movement through the watershed, concerns persist regarding the potential consequences of a more severe wildfire in the region.
Researchers, including Bourbonnais and Bob Gray, a wildland fire ecologist, are collaborating to model fire behavior in the Mark Creek watershed. The study will analyze forest conditions, weather patterns, and climate projections up to 2060 to assess the potential impact of severe fires on water quality, streamflows, and reservoir water levels.
The research aims to identify suitable areas for forest thinning, harvesting, and prescribed burning to mitigate wildfire risks. However, these mitigation measures must be carefully planned to prevent adverse effects on hydrology, such as erosion or increased sedimentation.
The project, funded with $300,000 from the Columbia Basin Trust and $100,000 from the city, is expected to span two years. Its outcomes will inform future wildfire mitigation efforts and offer valuable planning tools for other communities facing similar challenges. Bourbonnais stressed the importance of proactive measures, stating that the risk of inaction outweighs the risks of taking preemptive steps.