Environment Canada is telling British Columbians to brace for poor air quality in the coming days, even as wildfire officials have downgraded a fire north of Whistler, B.C. and lifted evacuation alerts elsewhere.
The weather agency says in an air-quality warning issued Sunday that wildfire smoke is causing or expected to cause poor air quality and reduced visibility across multiple regions in the province over the next 24 to 48 hours.
It says those regions include the Fraser Canyon, the South Thompson and the northeastern corner of the province, with the alert area almost reaching Prince George.
The warning comes after the BC Wildfire Service announced that the Signal Hill wildfire burning near Pemberton, B.C. has been held.
But it also says that more than 100 wildfires continue to burn in the province, and the latest provincial situation report on Saturday said dry and warm conditions will elevate the potential for new wildfire starts.
The new designation for the Signal Hill wildfire, which was first discovered on July 15, means that the fire is projected to remain within its current boundaries.
The Village of Pemberton on Sunday also rescinded its evacuation alert, saying the threat to life and safety has passed.
But the evacuation order for an area south of the community remains in place as part of efforts to support firefighting measures.
The wildfire service says the fire’s current size is just under one square-kilometre.
Other figures from the service showed 107 active wildfires across British Columbia on Sunday, with 770 wildland firefighters responding to them.
Most of the fires are concentrated in the southern interior, including Boston Bar, where the Brunswick Creek and Ainslie Creek fire continue to burn out of control.
A total of 48 wildfires were burning out of control on Sunday.
The Brunswick Creek’s size was listed at 40-square kilometres, while the Ainslie Creek fire was listed at 160-square kilometres.
Boston Bar, as well as other nearby areas in the Fraser Canyon, remain subject to evacuation orders.
The wildfire service said in a statement that 401 evacuees were receiving support across British Columbia.
It said 580 properties were on evacuation orders, and just under 1,800 properties were on evacuation alert after the Thompson-Nicola Regional District gave the all-clear on the evacuation alert for 12 properties along Green Lake in a rural area northeast of 70 Mile House, B.C.
That regional district listed two evacuation orders, including one for the Fiftynine Creek Wildfire impacting 131 properties, and four evacuation alerts.
The Fraser Valley Regional District, which includes the Boston Bar area, listed four evacuation orders, while the Cariboo Regional District listed one evacuation order and two evacuation alerts.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2026.
By Wolfgang Depner | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
