Landslides in B.C. linked to logging and wildfires

A new study reveals that nearly half of the landslides and other disasters during British Columbia's atmospheric river event in November 2021 were linked to logging and wildfires. The severe storms caused widespread destruction, including a landslide that killed five people and extensive flooding that forced 18,000 residents to evacuate. The research, published in the journal Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, examined 70,000 square kilometers and analyzed 1,360 incidents of debris flows and landslides. It found that 17 percent of these disasters started in areas affected by wildfires, while 14 percent were related to roads used by resource industries. An additional 15 percent came from logged areas, totaling 46 percent of the land movement events. The study's author, geoscientist Carie-Ann Hancock, noted improvements in logging practices over the decades, but emphasized that issues remain. Many geohazards from resource road failures were linked to unmapped and potentially unmaintained roads. In 2021, more than 1,600 wildfires burned over 8,700 square kilometers of land in B.C., marking a severe wildfire season. This was surpassed by the 2023 wildfire season, which resulted in over 28,000 square kilometers burned. The study warns that climate change is leading to more intense atmospheric rivers and wildfires, likely increasing geohazards in the future.