Evacuation orders lifted for Kiskatinaw wildfire in northeast B.C.

The Kiskatinaw River wildfire burns south of Dawson Creek, B.C., in this May 29, 2025 handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, B.C. Wildfire Service *MANDATORY CREDIT*

The Peace River Regional District has cancelled four evacuation orders and one alert for properties near a wildfire that is burning out of control in northeastern British Columbia.

The Kiskatinaw River blaze is currently listed as more than 266 square kilometres in size and classified as one of the three so-called wildfires of note in the province.

The district says the region does not need to remain on evacuation order and residents are cleared to go home, but it has issued an evacuation alert for some properties threatened by the fire and it encourages people to remain prepared to leave if conditions change.

It says an official BC Wildfire area restriction, which limits public access for safety during ongoing fire suppression work, remains in place.

The blaze is one of nearly 90 wildfires actively burning across the province, most of which are in the northeast corner.

The service says in its latest regional situational report that cooler temperatures and patchy showers are expected in the north while the south is still warm and dry.

It says thundershowers in the eastern and northern regions may bring some short term relief but warns such storms can produce lightning that sets off more fires.

The service says 75 per cent of the fires actively burning in B.C. are believed to be lightning caused.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2025.