Wildfire burning ‘out of control’ in B.C.’s Thompson-Okanagan region

An aerial view of the Quilchena Creek blaze provided by the B.C. Wildfire Service.

An early-season wildfire in B.C.’s Thompson-Okanagan region has spread to an estimated 550 hectares.

The Quilchena Creek blaze was discovered southeast of Merritt on Wednesday, prompting a joint response from the B.C. Wildfire Service and the Lower Nicola Indian Band.

The BCWS website classified the fire as “held” as of Thursday morning, but it has nearly quadrupled in size since—and been reclassified as “out of control.”

In a brief online update, the BCWS said the growth is “not attributed to fire behaviour or suppression actions by firefighters.”

It’s unclear what sparked the fire, but officials said the suspected cause is human activity.

Since the province’s 2026 wildfire season began on April 1, there have been more than a dozen fires recorded across the province.

Most of those are no longer burning, but five are classified as “under control.”