Major British Columbia wildfires have been downgraded as the wildfire service says fall weather is on the way, though there are still 150 active blazes across the province and drought remains a concern in the southern Interior. The Bald Range blaze in the south Okanagan region is now listed as under control, just under a month after it forced some 20,000 people to flee, destroying about 150 homes as it raced toward Summerland on the shores of Okanagan Lake. The Ainslie Creek blaze that forced evacuations that lasted weeks in the Fraser Canyon has meanwhile been declared held, meaning it’s not expected to spread beyond its existing perimeter under current conditions. The blaze spanning nearly 690 square kilometres on the east side of the Fraser River has also been removed as British Columbia’s last wildfire of note. The reclassifications come as some campfire prohibitions are lifted heading into the Labour Day long weekend, though the B.C. government has issued a statement saying people should still be cautious and check local restrictions. Small campfires are permitted in the northwest, southeast and Prince George fire centres, and the ban in the Coastal fire centre is lifting on Thursday at noon, but they remain prohibited in the Cariboo and Kamloops fire centres. Just under 10 per cent of B.C.’s active blazes are burning out of control, compared to about 45 per cent last week. One of them is the massive Pear Lake fire in the Cariboo region, another previous wildfire of note. The BC Wildfire Service says crews are still working to secure the perimeter of the 1,600-square-kilometre blaze. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 3, 2026.
