Official-source prevention and wildfire check · Sept. 15, 2026
Sept. 15 official wildfire check: Bull River prescribed burn could start Sept. 18
BCFires checked BC Wildfire Service, DriveBC/Open511, EmergencyInfoBC and B.C.'s fire-ban page on Sept. 15, 2026. This is a dated source-card, not a live emergency bulletin or permission to burn.
If life or property is at immediate risk, call 911. To report a wildfire, call 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on a cellphone.
Bottom line
BC Wildfire Service posted a Sept. 14, 2026 prescribed-burn notice for the Bull River area. BCWS says it will support Galloway Lumber with site-preparation prescribed burns about 20 kilometres northeast of Bull River, in the lower Bull River Valley near Camp and Van creeks. The project covers up to 22 hectares and could begin as early as Friday, September 18, 2026, if weather and site conditions allow.
BCWS says smoke may be visible from Bull River, Wardner, the surrounding area and motorists on Highway 3, with possible minor overnight smoke drift into the Kootenay Valley. That makes this a useful reader-service update: visible smoke in the area may be planned fuel-management work, but residents and travellers should still use BCWS, EmergencyInfoBC and DriveBC for live checks.
This article is not an evacuation order, evacuation alert, road detour, safe-return clearance, smoke-health forecast, fire-boundary map, arson allegation, final wildfire-cause finding, or public instruction to light a fire.
What the official BCWS post says
| Issue | Official-source detail |
|---|---|
| Where | BCWS says the burns are about 20 kilometres northeast of Bull River, in the lower Bull River Valley near Camp and Van creeks. |
| Size / timing | The project area covers up to 22 hectares. Exact timing depends on weather and site conditions, but BCWS says it could begin as early as Friday, September 18, 2026. |
| Smoke | Smoke is expected primarily within the Bull River Valley, but minor smoke drift into the Kootenay Valley may occur in the days following the burn, especially overnight. Smoke may be visible from Bull River, Wardner, surrounding areas and Highway 3. |
| Purpose | BCWS lists goals including reducing dead and combustible material, preparing the site for planting/regeneration, and reducing future wildfire risk and impacts. |
| Training / partners | BCWS says the project will be implemented by Kootenay ʔa·kinq̓uku TREX participants and supported by experienced BCWS staff, local partners and project proponents. |
Open the BCWS Bull River prescribed-burn notice.
DriveBC rows still needing live checks
The same official-source capture found 3 DriveBC/Open511 wildfire, fire or smoke-related road rows, including 2 marked MAJOR. Road conditions can change quickly; use the linked DriveBC event or DriveBC map before travelling.
| Status | Road | Updated | Official wording captured |
|---|---|---|---|
| MAJOR | Other Roads | 2026-09-14T13:24:06-07:00 | Princeton Summerland Rd. There is a wildfire between Trout Creek Main and Summerland 45 km north of Princeton. Road closed. Watch for traffic control. Alternate Routes: Highway 5A and Highway 3. Next update time Wed Sep 16 at 3:00 PM PDT. Last updated Mon Sep 14 at 1:24 PM PDT. (DBC-93947) Open DriveBC/Open511 event |
| MAJOR | Other Roads | 2026-09-14T11:41:45-07:00 | Silver Skagit Rd, in both directions. There is a wildfire between Silver Skagit Rd 6km mark and USA/Canada Border. Road closed. Closure point is approximately 6km south of Flood Hope Rd due to Provincial Parks closure caused by Hozomeen Mountain Wildfire. Silver Lake remains open. Ross Lake Campground and Skagit Valley Park closed. Next update time Mon Sep 21 at 12:00 PM PDT. Last updated Mon Sep 14 at 11:41 AM PDT. (DBC-93773) Open DriveBC/Open511 event |
| MINOR | Westside Rd | 2026-09-02T11:11:42-07:00 | Westside Rd, in both directions. There is a wildfire between Komasket Rd and Simla Rd for 8.1 km (48 to 56 km east of West Kelowna). Westside Rd is open. No stopping between Irish Creek Rd and Komasket Rd. Next update time Fri Sep 18 at 12:00 PM PDT. Last updated Wed Sep 2 at 11:11 AM PDT. (DBC-93854) Open DriveBC/Open511 event |
EmergencyInfoBC pages to keep open
EmergencyInfoBC may carry orders, alerts, rescinds, support instructions, debris-flow notices or links to the responsible local or First Nation authority. The rows below are source-package context, not a substitute for checking the live page for your area.
| Page | Captured context |
|---|---|
| Magnitude 3.8 earthquake 34 miles (54.7 km) SSW of Ucluelet | Earthquake Magnitude 3.8 earthquake 34 miles (54.7 km) SSW of Ucluelet Open EmergencyInfoBC page |
| Okanagan Indian Band evacuation information | Wildfire Okanagan Indian Band evacuation information Open EmergencyInfoBC page |
| Spuzzum First Nation evacuation information | Wildfire Spuzzum First Nation evacuation information Open EmergencyInfoBC page |
| Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen evacuation information | Wildfire Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen evacuation information Open EmergencyInfoBC page |
| Lytton First Nation evacuation information | Wildfire Lytton First Nation evacuation information Open EmergencyInfoBC page |
| Coldwater Indian Band evacuation information | Wildfire Coldwater Indian Band evacuation information Open EmergencyInfoBC page |
| Evacuation Alert issued for some areas in Electoral Area B | Debris Flow Evacuation Alert issued for some areas in Electoral Area B Open EmergencyInfoBC page |
| District of Summerland evacuation information | Wildfire District of Summerland evacuation information Open EmergencyInfoBC page |
| Evacuation Alert issued for parts of Clinton | Flood Evacuation Alert issued for parts of Clinton Open EmergencyInfoBC page |
| Ts’kw’aylaxw First Nation evacuation information | Wildfire Ts’kw’aylaxw First Nation evacuation information Open EmergencyInfoBC page |
BC Wildfire Service latest-post context
The latest captured BCWS feed led with the Bull River prescribed-burn notice. Prescribed fire is planned fuel-management work, but it is still weather-dependent and smoke-aware. Absence of a newer evacuation or incident post in this feed is not an all-clear.
| Date | BCWS post | Captured excerpt |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-14T11:06:16 | Prescribed Burn planned for Bull River area | CASTLEGAR – The BC Wildfire Service will be supporting Galloway Lumber in conducting site preparation prescribed burns in the Bull River area. The burns are located approximately 20 kilometres northeast of the community of Bull River, in the lower Bull River V Open BCWS post |
| 2026-09-11T11:29:56 | Category 3 open fire prohibition rescind in the Northwest Fire Centre | SMITHERS – Effective at 12 p.m. (noon) PDT on Saturday, September 12, 2026, Category 3 open burning will be permitted throughout the Northwest Fire Centre. This change means that there will be no open fire prohibitions in place. Category 3 open fire refers to: Open BCWS post |
| 2026-09-11T11:28:17 | Prescribed Burn planned for Deer Park Mountain area | CASTLEGAR – To help reduce the risk of wildfires, the BC Wildfire Service is supporting Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship in conducting a prescribed burn in the Deer Park Mountain area. This burn is located within one kilometre of Deer Park and Open BCWS post |
| 2026-09-10T16:02:52 | Continuation of prescribed fire project planned for N’Quatqua (D’Arcy) area at Lower Haylmore Creek | PEMBERTON – The BC Wildfire Service will be assisting N’Quatqua and the Sea to Sky Resource District in conducting a 5.6-hectare prescribed burn within the Pemberton Zone of the Coastal Fire Centre. This is the continuation of a prescribed fire project that wa Open BCWS post |
| 2026-09-10T15:38:42 | Category 2 open fire prohibition rescind in the Southeast Fire Centre | CASTLEGAR – Effective at 12:00 noon Pacific Time on Friday, September 11, 2026, Category 2 open fire will be permitted throughout the Southeast Fire Centre, which includes the Rocky Mountain Natural Resource District and the Selkirk Natural Resource District. Open BCWS post |
| 2026-09-09T14:47:18 | Category 2 and 3 open fire prohibition rescind for the Prince George Fire Centre | VANDERHOOF – Effective at 12 p.m. (noon) on Thursday, September 10, 2026 Category 2 and Category 3, open fire will once again be permitted in the Stuart Nechako Forest District (Vanderhoof and Fort St. James Fire Zones). A Category 2 open fire, as defined in t Open BCWS post |
| 2026-09-04T11:25:09 | Area restriction rescinded for Poplar Creek area | CASTLEGAR – The BC Wildfire Service continues to respond to the Poplar Creek wildfire (N71253). This wildfire is estimated to be 664 hectares and is located in the Poplar Creek area, approximately 20 km northwest of Meadow Creek. Effective Friday, September 4, Open BCWS post |
| 2026-09-04T11:18:45 | Area restriction rescinded for Hope Creek area | CASTLEGAR – The BC Wildfire Service continues to respond to the Hope Creek North wildfire (N71254), adjacent to the Lardeau River. This wildfire is estimated to be 1,755 hectares. Effective Friday, September 4, 2026, at 12 p.m. (noon) PT, the area restriction Open BCWS post |