Northern B.C. wildfire season unusually quiet compared to Southern B.C.

Since April 1, the Prince George Fire Centre has recorded 134 wildfires, nearly half the 10-year average of 267 fires by this point in the season. The difference in area burned is even more striking. Historically, the region would have seen roughly 309,134 hectares burned by mid-August. This year, only about 718 hectares have burned.

“Several factors have contributed to the lower number of large wildfires in the Prince George Fire Centre this year,” said Renny Shelle, Fire Information Assistant with the Prince George Fire Centre.

“As of April 2026, the northern region has received more snow than it has in the last three years. These conditions have helped retain moisture in the forest floor and delayed the onset of drier air conditions.”

That additional moisture has helped reduce fire danger across northern B.C. throughout much of the summer.

Shelle said lower fire danger ratings, combined with successful firefighting efforts and responsible behaviour from the public, have limited wildfire growth across the region.

“Initial attack success, combined with favourable weather conditions, has helped limit sustained fire growth across the region,” she said.

“The public has also supported wildfire prevention efforts by following safe burning practices, regulations and taking great care when enjoying the outdoors.”

Officials have also recorded fewer human-caused wildfires than last year, a trend they say highlights the importance of public awareness and responsible outdoor activity.

The quiet season is particularly noteworthy considering the amount of lightning the region has experienced this summer.

Despite repeated thunderstorms throughout July, northern B.C. has avoided the significant surge in wildfire starts that often accompanies major lightning events.

“We experienced approximately 25,000 lightning strikes over one weekend,” Shelle said.

“Despite the amount of lightning we have received, we haven’t seen a significant number of holdover fires emerge.”

Holdover fires occur when lightning ignites organic material beneath the forest floor. These fires can smoulder undetected for days or even weeks before becoming visible. According to wildfire officials, moisture in forest fuels and precipitation accompanying many storm systems likely helped reduce the number of lightning-caused fires becoming established.

Weather patterns have also played a major role in keeping wildfire activity relatively low across the North.

Jennifer Kowal, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, said northern British Columbia has generally been cooler than many other parts of the province this summer.

“The northern part of the province, as well as the northern part of the Prairies, have seen a little bit cooler temperatures than what we’re used to,” Kowal said.

“When we say it’s going to be a hot summer, it really wasn’t particularly hot. The zone that splits warm from cool has been further south this summer.”

That weather pattern has left southern B.C. dealing with more prolonged periods of heat and dryness while northern communities have benefited from more moderate conditions.

Rainfall has also helped.

Although Prince George officially recorded 48 millimetres of precipitation during July, Kowal said that figure does not tell the entire story.

The city’s long-term July average is approximately 64 millimetres, but several monitoring stations surrounding Prince George recorded significantly higher totals.

“There were lots of other observations around Prince George that had up to 125 millimetres during July,” she said.

Much of that rain fell during thunderstorms and localized weather systems that delivered substantial moisture to surrounding forests.

Even so, Kowal noted that the region has experienced wetter Julys in the past.

“The rainiest July on record in Prince George was in July of 1982,” she said. “That was with 131.2 millimetres of rain.”

Looking ahead, Environment Canada expects temperatures to remain slightly above seasonal normals through the remainder of August.

“We do expect the temperature to continue to be a bit warm,” Kowal said. “For the foreseeable forecast we’ve got 24 to 26 degrees for much of the rest of August.”

While those temperatures are not considered extreme, wildfire officials stress that conditions can still change quickly.

Shelle noted that several days of hot, dry and windy weather can dramatically increase wildfire danger, even after a relatively quiet season.

“While rainfall has been beneficial, wildfire conditions can change quite quickly,” she said.

For that reason, the BC Wildfire Service continues to urge residents to remain vigilant and stay informed about changing conditions.

“We encourage everyone to stay informed by checking out the latest wildfire conditions and any fire prohibitions or restrictions before heading outdoors, and to remain vigilant when conducting any activity that could potentially start a wildfire,” Shelle said.

For now, northern B.C. appears to have avoided the widespread wildfire activity seen across much of southern British Columbia. However, with several weeks of fire season still remaining and warmer weather expected through the rest of August, officials say it is far too early for residents to let their guard down.

by Greg Fry

Northern B.C. wildfire season unusually quiet compared to Southern B.C.

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