Firefighters responding to the fire at the Island Gospel Fellowship church in Burns Lake on Dec. 20, 2025. (Image Credit: Burns Lake Fire Rescue/Facebook)

By Victor Kaisar

Structure Fire

Fire destroys Island Gospel Fellowship church in Burns Lake

Dec 21, 2025 | 10:58 AM

BURNS LAKE, B.C. — No injuries were reported after a Saturday (Dec. 20) morning fire destroyed the Island Gospel Fellowship church in Burns Lake.

Burns Lake Fire Rescue firefighters were called out early Saturday morning, and they say while the church was destroyed, they were able to save the adjacent auditorium and classroom, albeit there was some smoke and water damage.

“A very sad day for Burns Lake,” a statement from Burns Lake Fire Rescue said.

In a statement, Burns Lake mayor Henry Wiebe said village council is “saddened” to learn about the fire and he also offered “heartfelt thoughts” to the church’s patrons, pastors and staff.

“We are appreciative of the efforts of our Burns Lake Fire Rescue Department and emergency services personnel who attended the fire and worked to contain and extinguish the blaze,” Wiebe said. “We are thankful for their safety while responding to the incident.”

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“I have every certainty that our community will show resilience and support to those affected.”

According to Burns Lake Fire Rescue, the investigation into the fire is ongoing, and a cause has yet to be determined.

“[We] would like to express our sympathy to the congregation and the community on this huge loss,” they added.