Page 2 - Lower Fraser News Today

What’s normally a summer activity is open to keeners in the middle of winter

With four spectacularly destructive wildfire seasons in the last seven years, B.C. has become a global wildfire hot spot.

While many are lamenting this winter's abominable ski season, Aaron Hill said the low snowpack will have much more serious ramifications in the months and years to come. 

If the weather doesn’t change, it could be the end of the 2023-24 ski season at some resorts – a grim but very real prospect

Aaron Hill, executive director of the Watershed Watch Salmon Society in B.C., can't recall when he was so concerned about the snowpack levels in the province.

"There still is time, but time is running out," says hydrologist with the B.C. River Forecast Centre, on getting back to a normal snowpack.

B.C.'s snowpack is 40 per cent below normal spurring action by watershed groups to buffer the rising risk of another extensive summer drought.

BC Alpine Ski, Freestyle BC and BC Snowboard have decided after consultation with coaches and the BC Games Society to withdraw from the games.

"There still is time, but time is running out," says hydrologist with the B.C. River Forecast Centre, on getting back to a normal snowpack.

Watershed experts worried that critically low snowpacks signal more severe droughts this summer want the province to act early to deal with water shortages before they reach crisis levels.