A firefighting helicopter passes over Penticton Trade and Convention Centre on August 11, 2026. Photo by Arlen Redekop /PNG

Article content

B.C. is in a state of emergency as crews battle a number of wildfires around the province, including the massive Bald Range fire in the Okanagan. The B.C. Wildfire Service said it’s “extremely concerned” about intentionally set and accidental wildfires in a drought-stricken province.

Article content

Follow our live-blog for the latest updates:

Article content

Article content

Article content

Article content

Article content

Article content

Article content

Article content

Article content

Article content

Article content

Article content

Article content

Article content

After a reprieve with clearer skies in the past couple of days, Metro Vancouver has once again issued an air quality warning for the eastern Fraser Valley.

Article content

The yellow warning — less serious than orange in the colour-coded system used in B.C. — was issued Wednesday afternoon for Chilliwack, Agassiz and Hope, the latter of which was already seeing smoke move in earlier in the day.

Article content

Hazy conditions are expected across eastern parts of the Fraser Valley due to smoke coming from wildfires in the South Cariboo, the southern Interior, and the complex of wildfires near Boston Bar.

Article content

Metro Vancouver predicts winds from the west will strengthen through the afternoon, possibly bringing cleaner air to the region.

Article content

Two other parts of southern B.C., the south Okanagan and Fraser Canyon, are under orange warnings, which indicates a “very high” health risk from poor air quality. Many other areas across the south of the province have yellow warnings in place.

Article content

Article content

Premier David Eby and Kelly Greene, B.C.’s minister of emergency management and climate readiness, will meet with local officials in Penticton Wednesday afternoon to discuss the wildfire situation.

Article content

Article content

The meeting is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. and will be live-streamed on YouTube here:

Article content

Article content

Article content

Article content

For the first time in days, Penticton woke to blue sky. The smoke that had smothered the city cleared overnight, and the South Okanagan’s air quality reading dropped to 3 — “low risk” — on the province’s Air Quality Health Index Wednesday morning, a reprieve for residents and evacuees.

Article content

It isn’t expected to last. Environment officials forecast the index climbing back to 9 — “high risk,” near the top of the scale — later Wednesday and holding at 8 through Thursday night.

Article content

Article content

The B.C. Wildfire Service says the Bald Range wildfire in Summerland, which has caused one death, the evacuation of thousands of people and extensive property loss, continues to spread in B.C.’s Okanagan region.

Article content

The latest update Wednesday has the fire mapped at more than 184 square kilometres, up from 156 square kilometres the day before.

Article content

The update says more wind gusts are expected from the north over the next few days.

Article content

Fire officials say there is also a chance of a thunderstorm Wednesday, which could bring erratic winds that fan the flames.

Article content

They hope that more cloud cover and slightly cooler weather today will aid in the battle.

Article content

Fire officials say the cause of the blaze, which sparked late Friday about 15 kilometres west of Summerland, remains under investigation.

Article content

Article content

As of Wednesday, there are more than 100 wildfires in B.C., with about half of those burning out of control. Of those, there are four wildfires of note, including the Bald Range wildfire in Summerland.

Article content

There are three other wildfires of note, including the Pear Lake wildfire—B.C.’s biggest blaze— which has destroyed properties near Clinton in the Cariboo region. That fire is now mapped at more than 1,476 square kilometres. There are eight evacuation orders affecting thousands of residents and seven evacuation alerts.

Article content

Fire officials say wind is driving the Pear Lake fire although some cooler weather with precipitation is helping slow the spread.

Article content

The other two wildfires of note are the Brunswick Creek and Ainslie Creek wildfires—or Brunswick Complex— in the Fraser Canyon region. The complex is now mapped at 700 square kilometres.

Article content

Article content

For both fires there are 12 evacuation orders and 15 evacuation alerts, including a new evacuation alert for 15 properties along the Coquihalla Highway in the Coquihalla Lakes area north of Hope.

Article content

Article content

PENTICTON — Walt Nickerson pushed a cart of groceries and supplies out of the Real Canadian Superstore on Monday evening, three days into a life he hadn’t planned for.

Article content

He left Summerland after a 1:30 a.m. call Saturday from his landlord telling him everyone was fleeing. Running on 2½ hours of sleep, he pulled into Penticton around 3, set a chair beside his vehicle in the parking lot of the casino where he works, poured a coffee and waited for the doors to open at 10. When they did, staff told the evacuees in the lot that breakfast, lunch and supper were on the house — and opened it to everyone.

Article content

“A lot of places did that,” he said. “That was phenomenal.”

Article content

The support has come in pieces, each with its own line to stand in: a $112 food voucher, a $150 clothing allowance, $50 for hygiene essentials, a two-night motel stay. The food voucher, he said, doesn’t go far.

Article content

Article content

Article content

Article content

Article content

Image of the Bald Range Fire on Aug. 10, 2026. Photo by B.C. Wildfire Service /Government of B.C.

Article content

Article content

Article content

Wildfire officials are “extremely concerned” about intentionally set and accidental wildfires in a drought-stricken province.

Article content

About four per cent of wildfires over the last 10 years have been deliberately set which is “far too high of a number,” said Cliff Chapman, director of wildfire operations at the B.C. Wildfire Service

Article content

“We are extremely concerned about intentionally set wildfires anywhere in the province at any time. But given the conditions that we continue to speak of, we are obviously more concerned right now,” he said.

Article content

He reminded everyone that a ban on off-road vehicles went into effect Monday in a bid to stop accidental fires.

Article content

“The conditions are so extreme right now that we can’t afford another unintentional human-caused wildfire,” said Chapman.

Article content

He said even with some precipitation in the forecast this week, firefighters will continue to see very challenging wildfire conditions given the drought, heat and wind gusts.

Article content

Article content

Article content

B.C.’s minister of emergency management and climate readiness is urging anyone who has been ordered to leave their homes to register and get help from emergency services at the reception centres.

Article content

Kelly Greene says there are 1,600 block-booked hotel rooms in Penticton, Kelowna, and West Kelowna, and 1,000 group lodging spaces in these regions.

Article content

She also said some families on evacuation alert have been trying to pre-register at reception centres but she asked only evacuees go to those centres.

Article content

“We know that with climate change, we’re seeing a wide range of worsening hazards, including wildfire seasons becoming longer and more severe. That means to stay safe, people should prepare for emergencies year-round. For those who may be at risk of an evacuation in the coming days, I urge you to have a grab-and-go bag packed and ready for each member of your household, including pets,” said Greene at a news conference Tuesday to provide and update on the wildfire and drought conditions in B.C.

Article content

Officials said once it is safe to enter the burned areas, an assessment of property damage will be done. Evacuees are being asked to stay out of the evacuation order areas.

Article content

Forests Minister Ravi Parmar also asked every B.C. resident to be extra vigilant not to start wildfires, as the province is in for more hot, dry and windy weather in the days ahead.

Article content

Article content

“I need everyone in British Columbia to be extraordinarily careful right now,” said Parmar.

Article content

“One careless action can start another wildfire. One spark can put another community at risk, and one drone flying near a wildfire can ground the aircraft our firefighters are desperately relying on. Our crews have enough fires to fight. Please don’t give them another one.”

Article content

Agriculture Minister Lana Popham said there are 269 registered agricultural premises impacted by wildfire activity affecting about 50,000 animals.

Article content

“That doesn’t mean that those animals are necessarily in imminent danger, but they are threatened, and we are trying to manage that on the ground right now.”

Article content

She added that there have been reports of livestock loss but the full extent of damage is not yet known.

Article content

The wildfire has also impacted orchards as many farmers cannot access their trees to pick the fruit, she said.

Article content

Article content

Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Minister Randene Neill says drought has been increasing across the province but it is particularly bad in the Okanagan, Nicola and Thompson regions.

Article content

Article content

She said conserving water is critical and will be into next season.

Article content

Neill said Okanagan Lake, for example, is at its lowest level on record.

Article content

“If we don’t have significant recharge in those areas, in those watersheds, we’ll start next season in potentially an even worse situation than we are this summer. So it’s critical that we do our part this year to really ensure that we conserve water as much as we can,” said Neill.

Article content

Article content

The B.C. Wildfire Service says firefighters from around the world are arriving to help battle the flames.

Article content

On Thursday, 102 wildfire personnel from Costa Rica will arrive in B.C.

Article content

Fire officials say the experienced firefighters will join crews from across Canada and around the world, including experts from Mexico, Australia and New Zealand.

Article content

Article content

Penticton — The smoke has thickened overnight. Where the hills across the valley were still faintly visible through the haze on Monday, by Tuesday morning they’re all but gone.

Article content

It hits hard the moment you step outside, catching in your nose and throat. And from early on, the sound over Penticton is constant — the low hum of helicopters passing overhead, buckets slung beneath them, headed for the fire.

Article content

The Okanagan remains under an orange-level air quality warning.

Article content

Environment and Climate Change Canada says exposure to high smoke levels can pose threat to your health and anyone in the area is asked to avoid outdoor activities until the warning has ended.

Article content

Some people are more at risk, including people with lung and heart conditions, pregnant individuals, infants and young children, people aged 65 and older, and anyone whose health is affected by a chronic condition or acute illness, the agency said.

Article content

Article content

The Bald Range wildfire, which has led to at least one death, thousands of evacuation orders and extensive property loss, continues to burn out of control in B.C.’s Okanagan region.

Article content

The latest update from the B.C. Wildfire Service has mapped the fire at about 156 square kilometres. The B.C. government will hold a news conference at 11 a.m. Tuesday to update the public on the wildfire situation.

Article content

Fire officials say the cause of the blaze, which sparked late Friday about 15 kilometres west of Summerland, remains under investigation.

Article content

Article content

Increased winds from the northwest contributed to increased fire activity, the B.C. Wildfire Service said. Firefighters said more wind was expected overnight.

Article content

About 20,000 residents remain out of their homes, with 11 evacuations orders and seven evacuation alerts still in place.

Article content

As of Tuesday morning, there are more than 100 wildfires burning in B.C., and the risk remains high for new fires because of hot weather, high winds, dry lightning and multi-year drought in many parts of the province.

Article content

B.C. remains under a provincial state of emergency.

Article content