The BC Wildfire Service is using a week-long break in the weather to tackle wildfires burning across Northeast BC.
The wildfire service says cool and rainy weather in the south Peace Region has helped temper the Kiskatinaw River wildfire, that’s burning south of Dawson Creek.
Currently the fire is being held and is smouldering with little to no visible flames. However, fire activity is expected to increase this week as temperatures begin to warm up on Wednesday.
Firefighters are still dealing with hotspots around the perimeter of the fire. The blaze is listed as 26,213 hectares in size.
The service says rain and isolated thunderstorms are forecast for parts of the Peace Region on Monday evening and into Tuesday.
The Fort St. John fire zone saw 100 millimeters of rain in the last week. That has helped ease the impact of fires, like the Pocket Knife Creek wildfire burning near Buckinghorse River.
The Summit Creek fire is still burning out of control, west of Fort Nelson. The area is expected to see rain for the next 6 days, helping firefighters on the ground.
The BC Wildfire Service said they can’t say when the Summit Creek fire will be brought under control. Weather and steep terrain have made it difficult to fight the fire.
Approximately 80 wildfires actively burning in B.C., most of which are situated in the northeast and were caused by lightning.
It says 41 per cent are classified as out of control, 23 per cent are being held while 36 per cent are deemed under control.
Three major blazes were downgraded in the northeast last week and are no longer wildfires of note, a status indicating a fire is highly visible or a threat to communities. The province now has no wildfires of note.
With files from Brieanna Charlebois, The Canadian Press, and was first published June 23, 2025.