BC Wildfire Service Update on 2025 Wildfire Season

According to a BC Wildfire Service update, there have been 514 wildfire starts in so far this year, but only 71 active fires as of July 8, the Comox Valley Record reported (7-8-25). During the same period in 2024, there had been 422 starts, with 149 fires active. Both years have seen a similar area burned. By comparison, 2023 was the worst wildfire season in BC’s history.

Officials noted that dry lightning tends to become more common as summer progresses, increasing the likelihood of new ignitions.

“We’re starting to see more thunderstorms and lightning events pass through the province, so we’ll certainly see more ignitions resulting from that,” said Taylor Colman, a fire information officer for the BC Wildfire Service. “But thankfully, these have had a cooler and wetter start, at least in the Interior.”

So far this season, Northeastern BC has experienced the most fire activity—consistent with the past two fire seasons. Contributing factors include overwintering fires, weather, and other regional conditions. Dry lightning is forecast for the southeastern part of the province in the coming days, but Colman said recent rainfall has helped keep fire danger ratings lower in much of that region.

Colman appeared alongside Forests Minister Ravi Parmar to deliver the update to the media from a BC Wildfire Service parattack base in Fort St. John, the Comox Valley Record reported.

A recent report from the Forest Practices Board urged greater involvement from the forestry sector in wildfire mitigation and for better regulation by the government to ensure best practices. “I think there are some roles that we can play, ensuring that we’re working with industry, and working with particularly the forest sector and community forests and so many others, to ensure that we are doing wildfire mitigation work,” Parmar said.