The BC Wildfire Service has issued a 2026 wildfire season outlook.

Highlights of the seasonal outlook include the following:

• Wetter-than-normal conditions were recorded for B.C. in December prior to freeze-up which helped alleviate drought conditions for the majority of B.C., including the Coast and the Southeast. March was another wet month which helped to further alleviate drought concerns in many regions of the province.
• Despite higher than average rainfall during the 2025 summer, the northeast region of B.C. remains an area of concern given the ongoing, multi-year drought conditions   
• Moderate drought conditions also exist in the western parts of the Cariboo Fire Centre (Chilcotin) and the majority of the Kamloops Fire Centre
• Higher-than-normal winter freezing levels have resulted in record low snow at valley bottom. This increases the likelihood of early season grass fires in Interior valleys
• The severity of the 2026 wildfire season will largely depend on the amount and frequency of spring (May and June) precipitation
• Unfortunately, there is little or no skill in long range precipitation forecasting so stay tuned via the BC Wildfire Service app and social media

Read the full outlook here: https://blog.gov.bc.ca/bcwildfire/spring-2026-seasonal-outlook/