Province encourages water conservation amid drought conditions

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — While weather conditions in northeast B.C. see a welcome increase in precipitation, wildfire and drought conditions continue across the province.

On July 29th, provincial ministers, BC Wildfire Service and the River Forecast Centre gathered for a seasonal hazards update press conference. 

Ravi Parmar, the minister of forests, spoke about the ongoing wildfire season which currently features 62 active wildfires across the province. This includes four that have started in the last 24 hours and eight that have been brought under control during the same time period. 

According to Parmar, there have been 623 wildfires so far in 2025 compared to the 1,059 during the same time period in 2024 and the 1,522 in 2023. 

“While many parts of B.C. have been fortunate so far with fewer fires and less devastation, we know that this can change in an instant,” Parmar said. 

Approximately 98.5 per cent of the burned landscape in 2025 has been in the Prince George Fire Centre, which Parmar visited earlier in the month.

“We’re seeing a season that’s quieter than usual, but let me be clear, do not let that lull [you] into a false sense of security thanks to the quick, effective action from our BC Wildfire Service crews and local firefighters,” Parmar said. 

“We’ve been able to contain most fires to four hectares or less, but it is a delicate balance, we can never afford to relax.”

Randene Neill, the minister of water, land and resource stewardship, also encouraged residents to be conscious of their water usage, as while portions of the province such as the northeast have seen rain, other parts have seen drought conditions worsen.

Neill encouraged residents to avoid hosing down their driveways, reconsider washing their cars and limit their overall non-essential usage of water. 

“These steps help protect aquatic life, as well as stream flows and our long-term water supply and they can help reduce the need for stricter action in many regions later on in the summer,” Neill said. 

This comes as the City of Dawson Creek recently enacted water conservation measures due to low flows from the Kiskatinaw River amid regional drought conditions.

Kelly Greene, the minister of emergency management and climate readiness, encouraged all residents to stay vigilant regarding the threat of wildfires, even over the upcoming holiday long weekend. 

“Now is the time to take action and put a plan in place before there is an emergency,” Greene said. 

“Have a grab-and-go bag ready for every member of the family, including your pet, make sure to include essentials like ready-to-eat food, drinking water, clothing, important documents, cash and a copy of your emergency plan.” 

To stay up to date on regional wildfire coverage, visit Energeticcity.ca’s wildfire page.