BC wildfires: 51 evacuation orders, 20,000 evacuees

Find current and verified information during emergencies in B.C.

With wildfires raging through large swaths of the province, British Columbia is currently facing 51 separate evacuation orders impacting 11,000 properties, affecting approximately 20,000 evacuees.

Asked whether the BC Government is currently considering requesting additional resources from the Canadian Armed Forces, BC officials say that their requests to the federal government thus far have primarily been to help with accommodations.

BC officials also acknowledged that while their firefighting crews are no doubt tired after many stressful weeks, they made the decision early to request out-of-province help in anticipation of BC crews needing some temporary relief to recover.

Asked about the risk of some residents trying to stay with their property or return early, Minsiter Kelly Greene implored people to not violate the evacuation, noting that orders are for resident and first responder safety. RCMP Staff Sgt. Kris Clark adds that violating the evacuation orders would mean taking resources away from those trying to respond to the fire, and that violators would be subject to arrest.

Asked about the Bald Range fire investigation, RCMP Staff Sgt. Kris Clark says that while the fire is being treated as suspicious, it is still "early days" and they can't yet draw conclusions - especially while the area in question is still dealing with fires. Clark also added that 'human caused' should not necessarily be equated with deliberate arson.

Watch the full BC Government press conference: