Gabriola Island was buzzing Thursday with generators keeping the lights and heat on, two days after power went out when a powerful storm toppled trees and power poles along the B.C. coast.
B.C. Hydro’s power outage map showed the entire island without power Thursday evening, with more than 3,400 customers affected — among the more than 18,000 still in the dark after Tuesday’s “bomb cyclone.”
The power goes out on Gabriola several times a year and those who live there need to be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least a couple of days, said resident Tony Grove, who has been eating the contents of his freezer as the food thaws.
“The vibe seems pretty good. There’s no real panic, except by the gas station. It feels a little tense around there,” said Grove, noting people were lining up down the street trying to get enough fuel for their generators.
Grove said he seems to be one of the few who does not have a generator, instead using candles and flashlights once the sun goes down. “I might be going to bed a little earlier than usual,” he said.
He also uses a portable battery box if he needs to plug in a light or to power his outdoor shower, which is heated by propane.
Grove said he keeps about a month’s worth of food — canned vegetables, soups and meats, along with pasta, grains and rice — in his cellar. A wood stove that’s keeping him warm can double as a stove for cooking, in a pinch.
“I’ve done that before where the power was out for days, so I just had a stew sitting on the stove and just kind of kept it going,” he said.
At Ground Up Cafe and Catering on Gabriola, where a generator was keeping the kitchen running, business was non-stop Thursday, said co-owner Jen Demler.
“People are just very happy that there’s a place to come that’s warm, and there’s hot coffee and hot food,” she said.
Customers were all talking about the outage and wondering when they would get power back, Demler said.
Some were eager to get off the island, with lines forming for the ferry to Nanaimo, she said, while others hunkered down.
With another storm set to hit today, outages could continue.
A low-pressure system from Oregon is headed toward the Island and expected to bring wind and rain Friday, said Brian Proctor, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada.
“In general terms, another breezy one, another wet one, but not as significant as what we recently experienced,” Proctor said.
The storm could bring more snow to Mount Washington, where snow has been falling continuously since Tuesday, he said.
The Island’s west coast will likely see the strongest winds, which could hamper efforts to restore power, he said.
Wind and rain should taper off by Friday afternoon, Proctor said.
As the next windstorm bore down on the region, B.C. Hydro was working around the clock to restore power to customers still in the dark on Vancouver Island the Gulf Islands on Thursday.
“You kind of keep a quarter eye on what’s coming, but our focus is getting power to those who need it now,” B.C. Hydro spokesman Ted Olynyk said. “We want those customers to have heat and light, to be able to re-freeze their food and recharge. That’s a priority right now.”
By Thursday, B.C. Hydro crews had restored power to more than 290,000 customers — or more than 90% — of the nearly 320,000 hit by the bomb cyclone windstorm that lashed the coast Tuesday and Wednesday.
Olynyk said crews replaced dozens of spans of power lines as well power poles and other electrical equipment wrecked during the storm by falling trees.
He said the majority of the remaining customers were expected to have power restored by late Thursday, with the possible exception of some customers in areas with significant damage.
While most residents of Cortez, Quadra, Denman and Hornby islands were expected to have power back on, some pocket outages could remain overnight.
Some could even remain in the dark for another day, including areas of Gabriola, Qualicum, the Cowichan Valley, Port Alberni and Sooke.
Olynyk said those outages range from two to 2,000 customers, and the timing of repairs depends on the locations and types of new equipment needed.
B.C. Hydro says it has deployed more than 90 crews to address outages in 10 regions on the Island and Gulf Islands. The efforts involve between 300 and 400 people, ranging from line personnel and mechanics to equipment suppliers and logistics personnel who arrange meals and accommodations.
“It’s been one of the worst storms [in terms of damage] we’ve seen in 25 years,” said Olynyk.
Landlines were down on Thetis and Penelakut islands due to a loss of power at a central Telus station, said Merrick Grieder, manager of emergency communications at Emergency Management Cowichan.
Because there is poor cell service in the area and some people’s cellphones may not be charged during the power outage, the issue could mean challenges calling 911 in an emergency.
Residents with an emergency are advised to find a neighbour with a charged cellphone. Those on Thetis Island can visit the fire hall, Grieder said.
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