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BC Fire TFRs

RV7ator

Well Known Member
Contemplating a trip to Alaska early September, and I see that BC is burning down. Does NavCanada publish a regional fire TFR map on a single page so I can see where they are? So far, no joy with their website. Seems the focus is on narrow route planning. A God view would be most helpful.

John Siebold
 
fire map?

that's a tough one! hopefully some frequent flier will chime in.

the gov. has a map, but not all that useful to aviators...

https://governmentofbc.maps.arcgis....x.html?appid=ef6f11c8c36b42c29e103f65dbcd7538

other than to avoid the general area, nothing on smoke and visibility.

If you toggle Foreflight to show Vis at all the reporting stations, that will give you some clue....but it's soooooooo variable with wind direction and valley effects, gonna be really hard to know if you can safely fly OVER, under, or through!
 
There was absolutely no way to figure out the burning areas in BC couple years ago. The burn itself usually not expansive but smoke trails long way. I was flyng for hours over the smoke. Get your O2 and climb on top of it. Usually 12-13 thousand feet.
 
Like Perry said, the best map that I've found for fires is at:

https://governmentofbc.maps.arcgis....x.html?appid=ef6f11c8c36b42c29e103f65dbcd7538

The guidance from Transport Canada is at:

https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/publications/tp2228-forestfire-3503.htm

"Section 601.15 of Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) provides that no unauthorized person shall operate an aircraft over a forest fire area, or over any area that is located within 5 NM of one, at an altitude of less than 3000 ft. AGL. A NOTAM does not need to be issued for this airspace restriction to be in effect. In accordance with CAR 601.16, however, Transport Canada may issue a NOTAM to restrict the airspace further around a forest fire. Pilots are reminded to check NOTAMs before flying near forest fires."

It looks like at least a couple more weeks of dry weather, smoke and fires for most of BC.
 
glass half full? predictions.........

It looks like at least a couple more weeks of dry weather, smoke and fires for most of BC.

......sorry Tim, I'm thinking more like a couple more DECADES, of this, ....or......until the glaciers move back down!? I might actually be retired by then, so hope it's better VFR!
:)
 
If this trend keeps up every summer, eventually there won't be much mature growth to burn in BC any more. I'm in Calgary, 800 to 1000km away from many of the fires and a few days ago, the vis was down to about 3/4 to 1 mile in smoke. Probably the worst I've ever seen it here. You can taste the smoke on some days.

Was much better today so I went flying but I'd say that anything above 1500 AGL and you're effectively IFR. Must be a lot worse than that in BC downwind of the fires.

Let's hope they get most of these put out in September.
 
It's been bad 60 miles north of Calgary too. I don't think we've managed anything better than marginal VFR in the past week. Even that has only been for a few hours at a time, most of the time its been IFR or lower. I'm itching for flight #3 in my freshly completed RV-9A.
 
Note: not just trees!

....pretty much west and southerly flows into BC....so half the smoke is NOT likely from our fires! Starting to taste like California grass, and Washington sage right now! They just cancelled a big Triathlon here this weekend.
I think the latest pancake breakfast at YLW had about zero fly-in traffic, all drive-ins!
 
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