While less destructive than previous years, the 2025 wildfire season still affected people throughout BC including dozens of evacuation orders and alerts.

Since April 1, 2025, more than 1,350 wildfires have burned an estimated 886,360 hectares.

That is significantly less than the 1,697 wildfires that burned 1.081 million hectares last year and the more than 2.8 million hectares burned in 2023.

This wildfire fire season saw 42 evacuation orders, which affected around 2,600 properties and 91 evacuation alerts, which affected around 6,950 properties.

Photo Credit: BCWSThe Kiskatinaw River wildfire, located in northeast BC, pictured in May.

According to the province 55% of wildfires were caused by lightning this year; however, these starts account for 87% of the total area burned this year. 

Around 43% were attributed to human activity and a small percentage remain undetermined or under investigation.

As of Nov. 1, the estimated cost of wildfire suppression was $510 million.

According to the province, the Prince George Fire Centre continued to be the hardest hit by wildfires. Of all the land burned in 2025, 82% was burned in the fire center.

“People’s lives are increasingly being impacted by the effects of climate change and we must be proactive in how we prepare for climate-driven emergencies,” said Kelly Greene, minister of emergency management and climate readiness. 

“Our first priority is to protect people and ensure that communities have the tools and resources they need to stay safe during emergencies.”

Photo Credit: BCWSThe Drought Hill wildfire, two km north of Peachland, pictured in July.

With two back to back highly devastating wildfire seasons seen in 2024 and 2023, the province made several investments in year-round BC Wildfire Service (BCWS), new technologies, and improved mitigation and prevention efforts.

According to the province, the BCWS saw a record breaking number of applicants with a total of 2,200, which set a new record.

The BCWS doubled the size of its night-vision capable fleet to four helicopters, trained more flight officers than previous years and completed 260 missions for wildfire detection, reconnaissance and water delivery.

“Advancements in the development of a province-wide wildfire camera network with AI-assisted smoke detection to enhance situational awareness, improve operational response and provide data for wildfire research,” the province said in a news release.

This year, the province also hosted a National Wildfire Symposium that brought together national and international experts, provincial, federal and territorial governments, as well as key industry and Indigenous partners with the goal of sharing best practices and enhancing a national framework for wildfire resilience.

Although BC’s 2025 wildfire season was relatively calmer than the past two years, Canada faced its second-worst season in history of area burned, with more than eight million hectares lost countrywide. 

In 2025, the BCWS deployed personnel and equipment to six provinces and one territory, deploying to more out-of-province locations than any previous season.

In January 2025, the BCWS also supported California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and the US Forest Service in response to multiple fires in California, including the Palisades, Eaton and Hughes fires.

“We’re coming off our second-worst wildfire season in Canadian history,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. 

“From technology to equipment and training, all to protect people and communities, the BC Wildfire Service has shown us that they are a global leader in wildfire work. Thanks to the dedicated members working tirelessly to fight the threat of wildfire. In 2026, we will raise the bar even higher.”