The Province of British Columbia, today, formally extended the provincial state of emergency through the end of day August 4, 2017. Premier John Horgan announced on July 19, 2017 that the state of emergency was being extended.

The state of emergency declaration will continue to apply to the whole province so that federal, provincial and local resources can be delivered in a co-ordinated response to the wildfire situation and continue to ensure public safety.

Public safety remains the provincial government’s top priority. The Province has also committed to provide ongoing direct financial support to evacuees. The current one-time $600-per-household funding will be renewed every 14 days on an ongoing basis until evacuees return home.

As of this morning there were 168 wildfires burning in B.C. with 52 evacuation orders affecting more than 43,000 individuals and 39 evacuation alerts impacting approximately 24,000 persons.

The state of emergency gives agencies such as Emergency Management BC, the fire commissioner, the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, and the RCMP the authority, under the Emergency Program Act, to take every action necessary to fight these wildfires and protect residents and their communities.

Background:

• Declarations of provincial states of emergency may be issued by the minister responsible under the Emergency Program Act. 
• The provincial government can extend the period of a declaration made by the minister responsible for further periods of time.
• The last provincial declaration of state of emergency prior to the current wildfire situation was issued in August 2003 to deal with wildfires.

Learn More:

For information on evacuation orders and alerts, visit Emergency Info BC: https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/

Keep up-to-date on the provincial wildfire situation: www.bcwildfire.ca

Media requests on particular wildfires should be directed to the appropriate fire centre:

Cariboo Fire Centre: 778-799-2101
Coastal Fire Centre: 250 951-4209
Kamloops Fire Centre: 250 554-5965
Northwest Fire Centre: 250 847-6639
Prince George Fire Centre: 250 565-6129
Southeast Fire Centre: 250 365-4014