Beetle Kill

Beetle Kill

The red areas represent trees that are dying as a result of an infestation by the mountain pine beetle. The beetle is not new to BC, but warmer weather conditions have enabled the beetle population to flourish. According to a 2006 report by Natural Resources Canada, “50 per cent of the mature pine will be dead by 2008 and 80 per cent by 2013.” It is a almost unbelievable that this could happen in such a short period.

Total Area Affected by Mountain Pine Beetle in Western Canada (Natural Resources Canada)

The devastation isn’t limited to BC, much of the forest in the western United States has also been affected. The only thing that might end the outbreak is a winter low of -40°C or a sudden cold snap in early fall or late spring of -25°C . Here’s one vote for a new ice age.

More information about the mountain pine beetle can be found at the BC Government website.

Twilight

West vs. east; Vancouver on the left and Toronto on the right. December 2008.

It feels like I’m trapped in the Twilight Zone in some sort of crazy weather spiral. However, the weather I’ve been experiencing over the last several years has been so drastically that crazy weather seems to be the norm.

When I arrived in Whistler earlier this month, it was warmer than usual and there was not enough snow to ski. Then it became too cold and snow started to fall slowly. When I returned to Vancouver before Christmas it started to snow – and snow it did. I think there was a snowfall warning issued daily for over a week on Environment Canada.

I flew from a snowy Vancouver to a rainy Toronto on December 24th – barely making it because there was a shortage of crew available in Vancouver because many flights were canceled from several centres in the west. Toronto is now enjoying spring-like weather. It reached almost +15c yesterday. Warm enough not to require a hat or gloves – something that I was never without in BC this month.

Much of what I do is dependent upon the weather so I will be glad when things return to what we once knew as normal – except in the mountains where it should snow as much as possible!