Wildfire and electricity

Yesterday was some weird power fluctuations.   I thought it was the wind, unplugged the expencive electronics, and got on with my day.

It turns out, the wind was innocent.

We got a note from the power company
The wildfire over 15 hours drive (one thousand kilometers by road and boat) from my house is making our electricity unstable.

I think that's something people forget about wildfire planning - wildfires ars really hard on the power grid.   A grid already overstretched from people trying to keep cool in the heat.

When planning for wildfire season, remember that electricity may not be an option...which means city water might also be unavailable.  

A small window solar charger for phone and communication devices is extremely useful.

Excellent point.

Electrical infrastructure is generally pretty vulnerable especially in Canada, goven the scale involved. It can be hit by wildfires, it can light wildfires, transmission corridors can get severed, parts can end up shut down to reduce fire risks in extreme conditions..

To make matters worse, in the heavier smoke we had a few years ago, my solar was *heavily* impacted by said smoke. I was watching my battery level as if it was November... in the middle of summer, when I generally have zero need to warch consumption and when I use a lot more power for garden/animal related water pumping. If I ever need to run sprinklers for wildfire protection, I am clearly not going to be able to count on either solar *or* grid power.

The other critical thing to remember about this is that rural sites dependent on wells for water....the well pump won't run without power!  In California at least, the power company would preemptively shut the power off in any high wind event, since the likelihood of a fire start due to the power lines etc. and wind is a proven deadly likelihood....this was responsible for the disastrous Camp Fire which ate the town of Paradise.  So a generator or other backup system capable of running the well pump is practically essential in many such situations, especially if that water is being relied on for fire suppression practices.

Alder Burns wrote:The other critical thing to remember about this is that rural sites dependent on wells for water....the well pump won't run without power!  In California at least, the power company would preemptively shut the power off in any high wind event, since the likelihood of a fire start due to the power lines etc. and wind is a proven deadly likelihood....this was responsible for the disastrous Camp Fire which ate the town of Paradise.  So a generator or other backup system capable of running the well pump is practically essential in many such situations, especially if that water is being relied on for fire suppression practices.

Yep. And while having a generator able to run the well pump for a little while is no big deal, a generator or alternative pump that will run for days straight is a trickier problem.

Typical gas powered pumps only run a rather few hours on their integrated gas tank. A bigger tank, like for an outboard motor, is an option.. but we're still talking relatively modest runtime, plus that gas only keeps so long..

Propane is a nice option for generators, much harder to find for pumps.. but if you've got a powerful enough electric pump for sprinklers, this might be just the ticket. Simpler to get fired up than needing to prime a dedicated pump in a hurry.. A large propane tank or bank of tanks can be plumbed to a manifold to provide enough fuel to keep a generator running for days.. no fuel spoilage issues.. oil change interval is 100 hours on many small generators, so they won't be happy running indefinitely, but still much more straightforward to get extended runtime plus no issues with old fuel..


If any other folks have a wildfire suppression system, what's your pump of choice?

Alder Burns wrote:The other critical thing to remember about this is that rural sites dependent on wells for water....the well pump won't run without power!  In California at least, the power company would preemptively shut the power off in any high wind event, since the likelihood of a fire start due to the power lines etc. and wind is a proven deadly likelihood....this was responsible for the disastrous Camp Fire which ate the town of Paradise.  So a generator or other backup system capable of running the well pump is practically essential in many such situations, especially if that water is being relied on for fire suppression practices.

We have a rain water catchment system for when power is out and we need water.  It also works for fire suppression practices though we have not tried that out.

All regions
POSTED: Jul 24, 9:51 a.m.
LAST UPDATED: Jul 26, 11:08 a.m.
Customers across the province may experience flickering lights, brief power interruptions or fluctuations in power due to wildfire activity across the province. Smoke and ash from the wildfire are causing short, temporary interruptions in the flow of electricity. Our electrical grid is operating as expected under these conditions and we continue to work closely with BC Wildfire Service on our response. Thank you for your patience.

https://www.bchydro.com/power-outages/app/outage-conditions.html#All_regions

Still ongoing.  

Not unusual to have happen during wildfire season.  

Thankfully we had some unseasonal rain near my home.  Not much, but any at all this month is unusual.  It's help bring the three fires within reach of my house to "contained" and might even be able to extinguish them as they are all about 1ha or less.  

The workshops they have for wildfire management here (free) focus on landscaping and storing water in the soil as electricity based prevention is unlikely to work here.  

Here's an example of one of the many free workshops they give in Sothern BC.  (note most of the people they hire to give these have permaculture based expierence like this one).

https://hcp.ca/event/wildfire-resilient-gardening-2026/

The Saanich Fire Department presents a free workshop, part of the FireSmart Program, on how to create more wildfire-resilient gardens that don't sacrifice beauty or biodiversity. With Instructor Bethany Couture.


Fee: No charge


As wildfires grow more frequent and severe, understanding how to design wildfire-resilient gardens is essential for homeowners living near wilderness areas. This practical and engaging class teaches participants to mimic nature's protective strategies through soil and water conservation practices and how to make informed choices about plants, mulches, and groundcovers. This class empowers participants to adapt to climate challenges, take proactive steps to reduce wildfire loss, all while enhancing the surrounding environment.

What You Will Learn
Selecting wildfire-resilient plants
Choosing fire-resilient mulches and groundcovers
Water and soil conservation practices for fire-smart landscapes
Designing resilient gardens to protect your home
Ongoing maintenance tips for resilient gardens


Who This Class Is For
Homeowners and residents near wilderness areas
Gardening enthusiasts interested in sustainable practices
Environmentalists and conservationists
Landscapers and landscape designers
Community leaders and neighbourhood groups


About the Instructor: Bethany Couture
Bethany is a sustainable horticulturist, permaculturist, and educator from Victoria, BC. She holds a Diploma in Permaculture Design and Education, is a certified FireSmart Landscape Professional and Local FireSmart Representative. She is the instructor of permaculture at the Pacific Horticulture College and of landscape design to the Master Gardeners Training. Through her business, Garden Alchemist, she consults and designs beautiful, resilient and ecologically functional landscapes.