British Columbia Drought Hits Over 25% of Province, Heightening Wildfire Threat

More than a quarter of British Columbia is now classified as being in elevated drought, officials said on June 11, 2026. The province’s Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Minister Kelly Greene, Forests Minister Ravi Parmar, and Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Minister Randene Neill briefed the public alongside David Campbell of the River Forecast Centre, Neal McLoughlin of the Wildfire Service, and Cliff Chapman, director of provincial wildfire operations.

The latest provincial wildfire situation report listed 13 active fires, two of which are out of control, while the season to date has seen 300 fires burn more than 4,200 hectares. Drought conditions stem from a very warm winter, low snowpack (64 % of normal by June 1), early melt, a dry spring and forecasts of a hot, dry summer. Compared with historic peak seasons in 2017, 2018 and 2021, current drought levels are worse.

McLoughlin warned that “regions with persistent drought will only require one to two weeks of normal summer weather to dry surface fuels, creating elevated fire danger and conditions that are conducive to extreme fire behavior.” He added, “We’re just turning the corner into lightning season, and so we’re about to see a lot more fires originating from lightning sources going forward into the summer months.” The service expects an elevated peak in fire activity later this summer, potentially in mid‑August, when fire starts can be especially impactful.