The B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) has issued a warning about computer-generated wildfire photos circulating online that it says are causing “fear and anxiety” and contributing to confusion.
The wildfire service shared two artificial intelligence (AI) generated images on its social media account, saying the images had been shared by other social media accounts, but do not accurately reflect the situation on the ground.
“They do not accurately represent the terrain, fire size or fire behaviour in the area,” BCWS said in the Aug. 5 post, adding that someone scrolling past the images “could believe this image is real or accurate.”
“During wildfire season, people turn to social media for updates and to share information. This can be a time of fear and anxiety and during times of concern misinformation can spread quickly and add to the uncertainty,” BCWS said in its post.
It said that “misinformation” was the “last thing any of us need” during emergency situations.
BCWS said it was “more important now than ever before” to ensure people are using official sources of information on wildfires and emergency situations, and the service advised people to use “a critical eye” to content shared on social media.
The agency recommended people download the BC Wildfire Service app or use a local emergency system alert service to stay up-to-date on local situations.
It also suggested relying on a trusted news source to receive updates and information.
There are 112 active wildfires burning in the province as of Aug. 6 with 29 of those deemed out of control, BCWS data shows.
It said that cooler temperatures and rain in the forecast could help. However, some areas, like western Cariboo and Kamloops won’t receive precipitation.
“While the downturn in weather is assisting our response efforts, new lightning-caused wildfire starts are expected from the nearly 70,000 strikes received over the past week,” BCWS said on its website.
The province has issued a campfire ban in most of the coastal area, which includes the Lower Mainland, Sea-to-Sky, and Vancouver Island.
B.C. conservation officers issued nearly $30,000 in tickets over the Aug. 3-5 long weekend for illegal campfires.
In total, the B.C. Conservation Officer’s Service said 26 violation tickets were issued, with a fine of $1,150 each. It said that at some campfires, multiple people were issued tickets.
It said that officers would continue patrolling for illegal campfires throughout the summer.
The campfire ban excludes all of Haida Gwaii Forest District and some of the Central Coast region. It will remain in effect until Oct. 31.
