British Columbia battles multiple wildfires as Lytton blaze comes under control

A series of wildfires erupted across British Columbia in late June 2026. The Saw Creek wildfire south of Lytton, which burned 704 hectares, was declared under control on June 24 after prompting a state of emergency, evacuations of about 200 properties and the closure of Highway 1 between Boston Bar and south of Cache Creek. A partial evacuation alert remains for a few remaining properties, and officials warned that high temperatures of up to 36 °C could reignite activity.

On June 25, fire crews were battling 13 new out‑of‑control blazes, including the Riley Creek fire near Lillooet and several lightning‑sparked fires in the Cariboo, Kamloops, Prince George and coastal zones. One fire south of Lillooet was assessed at 50 hectares and classified as a Rank 3 surface fire, while smaller spot fires were also reported near Lillooet and northwest of Lytton.

A separate incident on June 23 involved a downed hydro line east of Agassiz that ignited a wildfire, cutting power to roughly 900 customers, prompting Highway 9 closures and issuing go‑bag advisories for nearby residents. Across the province, a total of 33 wildfires are active, with 17 having started between Tuesday and Wednesday.