B.C. wildfires decreasing, but drought risk remains high

Provincial officials shared good news Wednesday about the state of wildfires in B.C., saying all evacuation orders have been rescinded.

Additionally, Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Minister Bowinn Ma says since last week, alerts for more than 1,000 properties in the province have been lifted.

“This is good news for communities, and we have seen good progress on wildfires. That being said, I do want to acknowledge that there are people in our province who have lost their homes this year due to wildfire, and every single case is heartbreaking and devastating for those people and those families,” said Ma.

The number of out-of-control wildfires continues to drop in B.C. on the heels of a cold front bringing rain and fall-like temperatures to many areas.

Just 267 blazes remained active across the province as of Wednesday, with 15 per cent, or just over 40, of those fires classified as burning out of control. That’s down from more than 100 out-of-control fires last week.

None of the current blazes are considered “wildfires of note,” a designation issued when a fire is highly visible or poses a threat to people or infrastructure.

The Thomson-Nicola Regional District downgraded the last remaining evacuation order related to the Shetland Creek Wildfire on Wednesday. The eight Venables Valley residences under the order will now be able to return home as the district rescinds the order and says it’s “all clear.”

Drought conditions still loom

Despite, cooler and wetter weather in recent days, Resource Minister Nathan Cullen says drought is still a problem throughout province.

“Over half of the province’s local ecosystems and economies are being impacted by drought, and with that recent rainfall, long drought conditions in many regions continue to put a strain on local water resources and the well being of fish populations,” said Cullen.

In particular, Cullen says, wild salmon rely on sustained water flows in rivers and streams. He thanked British Columbians for continuing to mind water-use restrictions.

Province rescinding campfire bans, safety still urged

Campfire bans are lifting in many regions starting at noon, though other kinds of open burning continue to be prohibited in most areas and the BC Wildfire Service is urging people to stay diligent in controlling their campfires.

Although fire danger ratings have dropped due to recent rainfall/cooler temperatures, the public is reminded to exercise caution. Anyone lighting a campfire in an area where campfires are allowed must maintain a fireguard by removing flammable debris from around the campfire

— BC Wildfire Service (@BCGovFireInfo) August 27, 2024

Anyone lighting a campfire must maintain a fireguard by removing flammable debris, they must have sufficient water available to douse the fire, and they must never leave the flames unattended, the service says in a social media post.

A campfire is any fire no larger than 0.5 metres high by 0.5 metres wide. Anything larger is considered a Category 2 open fire.

Ahead of the Labour Day long weekend, Ma says you still need to be careful with fire behaviour.

“I encourage everyone to get outside and enjoy the beauty that our province has to offer, but please remember that with rising temperatures through this long weekend, the risk of wildfires also does increase,” she said.

Much of B.C. is headed into a hot and dry spell over the next week and the BC Wildfire Service notes there is a chance of lightning along the B.C.- Yukon border.

So far this year, 91 per cent of the B.C.’s wildfires have been sparked by lightning.

—With files from The Canadian Press.