# Source note — September 4 Matthew Creek wildfire area-restriction check

Captured at: 2026-09-04T13:47:46+00:00

## Bottom line
BC Wildfire Service published a September 3 official update saying the Matthew Creek wildfire (N11020) area restriction near Kimberley has been reduced, not removed. BCWS says the wildfire was estimated at 1,826 hectares, about 10 km west of Kimberley; recent weather and suppression work reduced fire activity; and the amended Crown-land restriction remains in place until October 31, 2026, or until rescinded.

Key reader caution: BCWS says travel is NOT permitted on Matthew Creek FSR. This package is not an evacuation order, evacuation alert, travel clearance, safe-return notice, fire-boundary summary, arson allegation or final cause finding.

## Primary official anchor
- BCWS Matthew Creek bulletin: https://blog.gov.bc.ca/bcwildfire/area-restriction-amended-for-matthew-creek-area/
- Attached map/download links captured from BCWS content: [{"label": "26 N11020 MAP AreaRestriction Public 8.5x11P Sep 02", "href": "https://blog.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sites/786/2026/09/26-N11020-MAP-AreaRestriction-Public-8.5x11P-Sep-02.pdf"}, {"label": "Download", "href": "https://blog.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sites/786/2026/09/26-N11020-MAP-AreaRestriction-Public-8.5x11P-Sep-02.pdf"}, {"label": "fire prohibitions and restrictions section", "href": "https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fe1.envoke.com%2Fext%2Fclick%2Fgo%2Fbdabdb69267c6ea0584615ccfcf72552%2F1f472679aa3df7c856f6a99b4b398012%2Ff93a749faa03404015cd38ebc3dfcd04&data=05%7C02%7CFIREINFO%40gov.bc.ca%7Cd65efe9d95684f27869708df09e4a909%7C6fdb52003d0d4a8ab036d3685e359adc%7C0%7C0%7C639240549857471769%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=0cqA%2FqVa2DJpk0WDI0wm5OG%2Fe2wHtJ5mDUVXmPktRyc%3D&reserved=0"}, {"label": "BC Wildfire Map", "href": "https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fe1.envoke.com%2Fext%2Fclick%2Fgo%2Fbdabdb69267c6ea0584615ccfcf72552%2Fae1ee5deec3c1c4f5ae6a99b4b399b90%2Ff93a749faa03404015cd38ebc3dfcd04&data=05%7C02%7CFIREINFO%40gov.bc.ca%7Cd65efe9d95684f27869708df09e4a909%7C6fdb52003d0d4a8ab036d3685e359adc%7C0%7C0%7C639240549857519475%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=m16Fy%2Flhh%2Fp90UwK7WG7A%2BKzH4DkMOcPFYJidvlvLGY%3D&reserved=0"}]

## Supporting live-check sources
- BCWS latest-posts API: https://blog.gov.bc.ca/bcwildfire/wp-json/wp/v2/posts?per_page=20&_fields=date,modified,slug,link,title,excerpt
- B.C. fire bans and restrictions: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status/fire-bans-and-restrictions
- Southeast Fire Centre bans/restrictions: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status/fire-bans-and-restrictions/southeast-fire-centre-bans
- EmergencyInfoBC current emergencies: https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/
- DriveBC/Open511 event feed: https://api.open511.gov.bc.ca/events?format=json&limit=500

## Selected EmergencyInfoBC wildfire/action pages from the API sample
- Evacuation Alert issued for some areas in Electoral Area B — modified 2026-08-28T13:18:56 — https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/event/evacuation-alert-for-some-areas-in-electoral-area-b/
- Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako evacuation information — modified 2026-08-28T17:53:02 — https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/event/wildfire-rdno-26aug26/
- Evacuation Alert issued for parts of Clinton — modified 2026-08-25T13:13:19 — https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/event/flood-clinton-24aug26/
- Evacuation Alert RESCINDED for Oceanview & Kelvin Grove roads — modified 2026-08-24T12:02:12 — https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/event/lionsbay-wildfire-23aug26/
- Cayoose Creek Indian Band evacuation information — modified 2026-08-15T11:38:07 — https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/event/cayoose-creek-indian-band-evacuation-information/
- Cook’s Ferry Indian Band evacuation information — modified 2026-08-27T14:34:16 — https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/event/cooks-ferry-indian-band-evacuation-information/
- Lower Similkameen Indian Band evacuation information — modified 2026-08-17T17:13:54 — https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/event/lower-similkameen-indian-band-evacuation-information/
- City of Revelstoke evacuation information — modified 2026-08-31T18:37:31 — https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/event/city-of-revelstoke-evacuation-information/
- Snpink’tn Indian Band evacuation information — modified 2026-08-28T19:12:59 — https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/event/snpinktn-indian-band-evacuation-information/
- Nooaitch Indian Band evacuation information — modified 2026-08-24T14:07:55 — https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/event/nooaitch-indian-band-evacuation-information/
- Province of British Columbia — modified 2026-08-27T16:00:12 — https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/event/stateofprovemerg2026/
- Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen evacuation information — modified 2026-09-02T10:19:36 — https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/event/wildfire-okanagan-similkameen-evacuation-information/
- District of Summerland evacuation information — modified 2026-09-02T10:57:30 — https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/event/district-of-summerland-evacuation-information/
- Evacuation Order issued — modified 2026-08-15T15:08:30 — https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/event/7aug26/

## Selected DriveBC/Open511 wildfire/fire/smoke rows
- MAJOR — Other Roads — updated 2026-08-31T12:11:48-07:00 — 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 Fri Sep 4 at 12:00 PM PDT. Last updated Mon Aug 31 at 12:11 PM PDT. (DBC-93773) — https://api.open511.gov.bc.ca/events/drivebc.ca/DBC-93773
- MAJOR — Other Roads — updated 2026-08-31T13:55:04-07:00 — Meadow Lake Rd, in both directions. There is a wildfire between Dog Creek Rd and Gang Ranch Rd. Road closed. Road closed to all traffic except emergency vehicles. Next update time Fri Sep 4 at 12:00 PM PDT. Last updated Mon Aug 31 at 1:55 PM PDT. (DBC-93781) — https://api.open511.gov.bc.ca/events/drivebc.ca/DBC-93781
- MAJOR — Other Roads — updated 2026-08-31T13:55:23-07:00 — Big Bar Rd, in both directions. There is a wildfire between Little Big Bar Lake Rd and The Big Bar Ferry. Road closed. Road closed to all traffic except emergency vehicles. Next update time Fri Sep 4 at 12:00 PM PDT. Last updated Mon Aug 31 at 1:55 PM PDT. (DBC-93680) — https://api.open511.gov.bc.ca/events/drivebc.ca/DBC-93680
- MAJOR — Other Roads — updated 2026-09-01T12:24:35-07:00 — Pavilion-Clinton Rd, in both directions. There is a wildfire between Pear Lake Road and Mowhich Road. Road closed to all traffic except emergency vehicles. Next update time Fri Sep 4 at 12:00 PM PDT. Last updated Tue Sep 1 at 12:24 PM PDT. (DBC-93772) — https://api.open511.gov.bc.ca/events/drivebc.ca/DBC-93772
- MAJOR — Other Roads — updated 2026-09-01T15:11:55-07:00 — 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 Fri Sep 4 at 10:00 AM PDT. Last updated Tue Sep 1 at 3:11 PM PDT. (DBC-93947) — https://api.open511.gov.bc.ca/events/drivebc.ca/DBC-93947
- MINOR — Highway 5 — updated 2026-08-25T09:58:57-07:00 — Construction work from Highway 5, At Exit 250 to Larson Hill to At Exit 256 to Coldwater Road. Starting Tue Aug 25. Left lane closed in both directions. Expect delays. Last update: August 25th, 2026 at 9:58am PDT. 24/7 construction. Please obey signage, slow down and watch for roadside workers. Expect delays and higher traffic volume due to Highway 1/Highway 3 wildfire activity. — https://api.open511.gov.bc.ca/events/drivebc.ca/RIDE-101642
- MINOR — Westside Rd — updated 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) — https://api.open511.gov.bc.ca/events/drivebc.ca/DBC-93854

## Reader-action caution
Open the live BCWS restriction page, local/First Nation authority pages, EmergencyInfoBC and DriveBC before entering an affected area, travelling, returning to property or sharing old screenshots. Area restrictions and road events can change quickly.

If life or property is at immediate risk, call 911. To report a wildfire, call 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on a cellphone.