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Regional Wildfire Update July 20, 2026

Posted:

July 20, 2026 Evening Update

Matthew Creek and two Tower Creek Wildfires (in the Kimberley area)

  • The Evacuation ALERTS remain in effect for the City of Kimberley and 66 properties in the St. Mary Lake area and there has been no change in their status today.
  • Helicopters worked through the day today, working to cool the more active parts of all three fires and limit growth.
  • Fire activity increased during the hottest part of the day, but continued light winds kept conditions favourable for suppression efforts and growth was limited today on all three fires.
  • Work on re-opening the access roads is ongoing to allow additional heavy equipment to begin guard development.
  • An incident management team (IMT) is on site and is being briefed this evening. They will assume command of the wildfires tomorrow afternoon. An IMT is a specialized, highly trained group of personnel deployed to manage complex wildfire events.

If you did not get a chance to view the Operational Update from earlier today, it provides a good "view" of the fires along with a great morning operational update. You can view it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CkC0S5Bors

If you have not yet registered for the Evacuation Notification System, or to verify you have properly placed the "pin" on your home/property visit: www.rdek.bc.ca/ens. For those that would like a hand registering or verifying that their pin is properly placed, you can also reach out to the Information Line at 250-426-2188 tomorrow morning after 8:30am.


This is your Regional Wildfire Update for the afternoon of July 20 with information from the BC Wildfire Service:

NEW VIDEO: A video has been uploaded with information from the Southeast Fire Centre's operational update regarding wildfires -Matthew Creek (N11020), Tower Creek (N10944), and Tower Creek #2 (N10947). You can view it here.

N11020 – Matthew Creek 

  • Effective 8:00 pm on July 19, 2026, an Evacuation ALERT has been issued for the City of Kimberley including all properties within the municipal boundaries due to the Matthew Creek Wildfire. Details HERE
  • Estimated size - 567 hectares
  • Started in steep and mountainous terrain that is unsafe for crews to action directly.
  • Today's weather is expected to remain similar to yesterday, with hot, dry and stable conditions. Light and variable winds are forecast.
  • Fire behaviour yesterday (July 19), was less active at rank 2 with pockets of rank 3, meaning a low to moderately vigorous surface fire with a slow to moderate rate of spread.
  • The north and west sides saw no significant growth overnight. A cutblock to the south is preventing further growth in that direction. There was approximately 10 ha of growth to the east. Currently burning rank 1 and 2, meaning a smouldering low vigour ground fire. Light winds and heavy smoke this morning are minimizing fire behaviour.
  • Helicopters, Initial Attack Crews and heavy equipment are assigned to this fire
  • The first wave of heavy equipment (feller buncher) started work to reopen deactivated sections of a Forest Service Road yesterday (July 19) and made good progress. This work is ongoing today so that additional heavy equipment task forces can support the guard development.

N10947 – Tower Creek #2 and N10944 – Tower Creek (Meachen Area)

  • Effective 8:00 pm on July 19, 2026, an Evacuation ALERT has been issued for 66 properties in the St. Mary Lake Area (Electoral Area E) due to the Tower Creek Wildfires. Details HERE.
  • Estimated size - 250 hectares
  • Burning in steep, inaccessible terrain that is unsafe and ineffective for crews to engage directly at the fire perimeter. Indirect attack strategies are being used for these fires. Indirect attack establishes control lines away from the perimeter using natural barriers, existing roads, trails, fuel breaks or constructed guard to help limit fire spread and protect structures and infrastructure.
  • The first wave of heavy equipment started work to reopen deactivated sections of a Forest Service Road yesterday (July 19) and made good progress. This work is ongoing today so that additional heavy equipment task forces can support the guard development.
  • Equipment task forces are moving into position and will begin constructing machine guard once road access has been improved.
  • Helicopters will continue to be engaged, working to slow growth by cooling the fire's edge.

N11027 – Bootleg Mountain

  • Estimated size – 10 hectares
  • Burning in steep and mountainous terrain that is unsafe for crews to action directly.
  • A response strategy is being developed that will be implemented if the fire moves towards workable ground.
  • There are no structures or infrastructure currently threatened.

With a hot and dry week ahead of us, it is more important than ever to be prepared.

  • Find wildfire preparedness information HERE.
  • Sign up for the Voyent Alert! Evacuation Notification System HERE. (ens link)
  • If you see smoke or a wildfire, you use the BC Wildfire App to report it or call 1-800-663-5555 from any landline or *5555 from your cellphone.

As always, the most current wildfire information is available at www.bcwildfire.ca