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Two wildfires grow in northeast B.C. despite rainy weather

Two blazes in northeast B.C. – in Etcho Creek and near the Petito River – have grown despite wet weather in northeast B.C.

By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

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Forest Fire News

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June 19, 2025

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Smoke billows from the Etcho Creek wildfire north of Fort Nelson. (BCWS)

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — While some wildfires are calming across northeast B.C., others are growing despite wet weather this week.

The latest data from the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) shows two ‘wildfires of note’ have been downgraded, but two blazes in northeast B.C. have also grown:

A wildfire north of Fort Nelson in Etcho Creek has grown from 211,153 hectares to 212,058 hectares. It is a ‘holdover’ or ‘overwintering’ fire, which means it ignited in a previous season and then smouldered underground over the winter before sparking again this year. It is believed to have been caused by a lightning strike and was first discovered this year on May 2nd.
The Petito River wildfire has grown from 4,425 hectares to 5,164 hectares, as of the last update. This is also a holdover fire.

Many others are holding their current perimeter.

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Energeticcity.ca will provide further information when it becomes available. Check our wildfire page for the latest information.

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Authors

Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A guy who found his calling later in life, Edward Hitchins is a professional storyteller with a colourful and extensive history.

Beginning his journey into journalism in 2012 at Seneca College, Edward also graduated from Humber College with an Advanced Diploma in Print and Broadcast Journalism in 2018. After time off from his career and venturing into other vocations, he started his career proper in 2022 in Campbell River, B.C.

Edward was attracted to the position of Indigenous Voices reporter with Energeticcity as a challenge. Having not been around First Nations for the majority of his life, he hopes to learn about their culture through meaningful conversations while properly telling their stories.

In a way, he hopes this position will allow both himself and Energeticcity to grow as a collective unit as his career moves forward and evolves into the next step.

He looks forward to growing both as a reporter and as a human being while being posted in Fort St. John.

This reporting position has been funded by the Government of Canada and the Local Journalism Initiative.