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Mike Flannigan

@mikeflannigan.bsky.social

fire guy, weather guy, researcher, professor and research chair. Thompson Rivers University Canadian 5-10 day fire weather outlook at https://www.tru.ca/wildfire/research/canada-fire-weather-outlook.html

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Iceblueaccent@iceblueaccent.bsky.social · last mo.

According to Environment Canada, 21.8 millimetres (mm) of precipitation was recorded at Kamloops Airport (YKA) during the summer period, down from the average 90 mm. It’s the second-driest summer recorded for Kamloops dating back to 1893. 22mm = 0.866 inches cfjctoday.com/2026/09/02/k...

Kamloops experienced second-driest summer on record in 2026: Environment Canada

KAMLOOPS - It was a nearly record-breaking dry summer for the Kamloops area. According to Environment Canada, ...

cfjctoday.com

Mike Flannigan@mikeflannigan.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Over the past 24 hours, BC recorded over 7,000 lightning strikes. This time of year, we expect 1-2% of the strikes will start fires (70-140) and given the rain some may be holdover fires that will arrive early this week as warm/hot and dry weather returns.

BC Wildfire Service map showing out of control fires - red, being held fires - yellow and under control fires - green https://wildfiresituation.nrs.gov.bc.ca/map
Jessica McCarty@jmccartygeo.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Hawk Fire is also another example of a “wildland” fire that is threatening human communities beyond the immediate interface where our settlements meet rural & wild landscape (the WUI - Wildland urban interface). Every home & neighborhood in North America should be assessing fire and smoke risk.

Mike Flannigan@mikeflannigan.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Hawk fire near Reno is another example of rapid growth of a fire during the night. The Hawk fire started yesterday and was over 10,000 acres by 8am this morning. We are seeing more fires burn actively through the night. www.latimes.com/california/s...

Mike Flannigan@mikeflannigan.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Hawk fire near Reno is another example of rapid growth of a fire during the night. The Hawk fire started yesterday and was over 10,000 acres by 8am this morning. We are seeing more fires burn actively through the night. www.latimes.com/california/s...

Thousands evacuated as Hawk fire burns over 10,000 acres near Reno

Fueled by strong winds, the Hawk fire has burned over 10,000 acres near Reno, forcing thousands of evacuations and a state of emergency.

latimes.com

Mike Flannigan@mikeflannigan.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Very active fires in BC today. GOES-West geocolor loop below. Potential for pyrocbs (pyrocumulonimbus - fire generated thunderstorms) as mid-level moisture spreading towards many of the fires. Mid-level moisture is not a requirement for a pyrocb but definitely aids the development of pyrocbs.

Zak Derler@zakderler.bsky.social · 2mo ago

British Columbia has now had four consecutive fire seasons with cumulative fire radiative power above the median of the previous 20 years. Although the fire season started late, as of today (August 20), 2026 is already at 5.9x the 2003-2022 median for the same point in the fire season.

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Aarne Granlund@aarnegranlund.eurosky.social · 2mo ago

”Permafrost stores 1,500 gigatons of carbon, which is three times more than all the living vegetation on Earth, including every single tree in the Amazon.” #ClimateHeating www.theguardian.com/environment/...

The threatening thaw: climate professor on heatwave risks to tipping point of permafrost

Prof Gustaf Hugelius warns wildfires could accelerate release of methane and carbon as vast regions approach irreversible thresholds

theguardian.com

The Narwhal@thenarwhal.ca · 2mo ago

'We’re in uncharted territory. There is no historical analog for this kind of rapid increase in fire activity.' In the last decade, more area has burned in B.C. than in the preceding 67 years. Professor Mike Flannigan explains why: thenarwhal.ca/bc-wildfires...

The ‘new reality’ of B.C. wildfires is anything but ‘normal’ | The Narwhal

Scientist Mike Flannigan looked at decades of data about B.C. wildfires. He has ideas about how to protect people and the planet in years to come.

thenarwhal.ca

BB@heyjoe65.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Also of interest, in 2003 the province launched the Filmon Commission on the devestating season where in 2003 266,000 ha burned when the 10 year average was 25,000 ha. Now 266,000 would seem like a normal or low year.

Mike Flannigan@mikeflannigan.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Another active fire day in BC but what scares me is the lightning forecast. Expect lightning in BC for the next 9 days. It is bone dry in parts of BC so if we see the lightning, we could see many new fire starts. ECMWF lightning density maps for Monday and Tuesday.

ECMWF 12-hr lightning density forecasts for BC on Monday Aug 10.ECMWF 12-hr lightning density forecasts for Tuesday Aug 11
Mike Flannigan@mikeflannigan.bsky.social · 2mo ago

corrected post This is our climate change reality. BC is at the sharp end of the climate change spear in terms of fire in Canada. Graph below shows annual area burned in BC 1950-2026. Top 6 years have been since 2017 and BC has experienced more area burned during 2017-2026(red) than 1950-2016(green)

annual area burned in BC 1950-2026. Recent years data from ciffc
Mike Flannigan@mikeflannigan.bsky.social · 2mo ago

This is our climate change reality. BC is at the sharp end of the climate change spear in terms of fire in Canada. Graph below shows annual area burned in BC 1950-2026. Top 6 years have been since 2017 and BC has experienced more area burned during 2017-2026(red) as compared to 1950-2026 (green).

Annual area burned in BC 1950-2026. Recent years are ciffc data
Mike Flannigan@mikeflannigan.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Another hot dry day in the Pacific NW providing a favourable growth environment for the numerous fires. GOES-West geocolor showing smoke across the region. Possible pyrocb development when mid-level moisture reaches the Cariboo fires. GOES - mid-ir image showing locations of active fires in BC.

GOES- West geocolor - grey areas are smoke. Plumes from numerous fires are visible.GOES-West 3.9 micron band that is sensitive to high temperatures like those from wildfires. white areas active fires and red areas very intense wildfires