B.C. land and wildlife experts warn recovery from increasingly intense wildfires can take years, requiring extensive restoration, funding and forest management.
The theft of critical suppression equipment, including pumps, is hampering crews at the Bald Range wildfire near Summerland, the B.C. Wildfire Service said Wednesday.
Wildfire officials said crews are working around the clock at the Bald Range wildfire near Summerland to try to control the blaze and allow people to safely return home.
Officials said about 8,000 people are under evacuation orders due to wildfires in British Columbia, while another 7,100 have been told they should be ready to leave their homes at a moment's notice.
The British Columbia Conservation Officer Service issued more than $20,000 in fines over the weekend after officers handed out 19 tickets for illegal campfires during patrols across the province.
The licence operates within the Prince George Timber Supply Area, which includes the Prince George and Stuart Nechako natural resource districts. Only operations within the Prince George Natural Resource District will be audited.
B.C. NDP Leader David Eby is facing criticism after confirming his family benefited from a $10-a-day child care program his government froze to new providers.
A potentially powerful El Niño could worsen drought conditions across B.C., prompting calls for stronger water protection measures from the next provincial government.