British Columbia: 2017 Wildfire Index*
Total number of fires: 1217
Ignitions by lightning on July 7: 138
Days in a provincial state of emergency: 69
Number of temperature records 'shattered' this summer: 85
Percent of province in moderate to extreme fire danger on August 10 and 11: >99
Size in hectares of the Plateau Wildfire, BC's largest "blaze· on record: 521,024
Record area burned in hectares, despite modern technology and suppression efforts: 1,163,210
Tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from wildfire, 3x the provincial annual average: 190,000,000
Air Quality Health Index, on a scale of 1 to 10, for Kamloops on August 3: 49
Estimated number of evacuees fleeing wildfire: 46,500
Minimum number of buildings lost: 300
Fine in dollars for not complying with a province-wide campfire ban: 1,150
Maximum fine for starting a wildfire during a ban: $1 million and 1 year in prison
Ten days into the ban, number of campfires reported to the Coast Fire Center: 50
Number of provincial parks closed for safety reasons over September long weekend: 40
Estimated cost in dollars of fire suppression and emergency relief for evacuees: -700,000,000
Approximate area burned of the 6,315 ha Gavin Lake block of the Alex Fraser Research Forest: 1,200 Number of hours since July 7 that research forest staff and assistants fought to contain these fires: 3,000 Appreciation of UBC Research Forest staff, BC wildland firefighters, emergency staff and volunteers: priceless
*Inspired by Harper's Index, compiled by Dr. Lori Daniels
Figures cited are the latest available as of September 8, 2017