B.C. issues water warning amid drought conditions and record-low stream flows

A B.C. river is seen in a May 2025 file image.

The government in British Columbia says forecasts predict elevated drought conditions across much of the province this summer and is asking people to conserve water.

A statement from the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship is encouraging people to reduce water use wherever possible to help protect local watersheds and reduce the risk of water becoming scarce.

The ministry says the southern coast and southern Interior remain under significant pressure as drought conditions persist and parts of Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland and the southern Interior have shown record-low stream flows.

It says watersheds where risks to aquatic ecosystems and fish populations are increasing include the Koksilah River, Tsolum River, Salmon River and Bessette Creek.

The BC Wildfire Service meanwhile warns that dry conditions risk an increase in fire hazard as they continue to battle blazes in the Fraser Canyon.

Firefighters are planning to conduct “heavy helicopter bucketing” today to prevent an out-of-control blaze near Boston Bar from moving east toward Merritt across an area inaccessible to groundcrews.

The efforts to combat the Brunswick complex of wildfires come as another blaze further north in the Thompson Nicola Regional District has prompted fresh evacuation alerts for at least two properties north of Lillooet, B.C.

The French Bar Creek wildfire is measured at 12 square kilometres in size, and the BC Wildfire Service says the blaze is presenting challenges to crews due to terrain, water availability and limited access to the site.

The 189-square-kilometre Brunswick complex to the south, which consists of the Brunswick Creek and Ainslie Creek wildfires, has already triggered evacuation orders and alerts for hundreds of homes. in the region, about 200 kilometres northeast of Vancouver.

The wildfire service says while temperatures are increasing and humidity levels are dropping, the forecast also calls for lighter winds that may aid the fight against the flames.

However, the service warns that forest fuels in the area remain dry and are susceptible to increased fire behaviour if there’s a short stretch of hot, dry weather.

“Groundcrews are making good progress with mop up and patrol operations in the vicinity of the community of Boothroyd to the north,” the service says in its latest update on the fires.

The wildfire service adds that the efforts to prevent the blaze from moving east coincide with crews assessing the need for structure protection along the Highway 8 corridor linking Merritt, B.C., to Spences Bridge.

An evacuation alert covering 61 properties near Merritt remains in effect, issued by the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, while the Nooaitch Indian Band also told residents of its main reserve to get ready to leave on short notice last week.

Adam Hart, emergency program coordinator with the City of Merritt, said on Monday there was still a “large buffer area” between the city and perimeter of the Ainslie Creek blaze, but officials were monitoring the situation.

There are currently about 23 active wildfires in B.C., with six listed as out of control.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 14, 2026.