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Regional Wildfire Update: July 21, 2026

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With two Evacuation Alerts in place, it is critical to know that if you work away from your property, it is important to be prepared in case an Evacuation Order is enacted while you are away from home.

Evacuation ALERT means PREPARE NOW

An EVACUATION ORDER can come at any time, and you will not be able to enter an Order Zone as the priority is to get people out safely.

Evacuation ORDER means GO NOW

Be prepared and make a plan; view preparedness tips HERE.

This is your Regional Wildfire Update for July 21 with information from the BC Wildfire Service:

An Incident Management Team (IMT) arrives today to assume command of what is being named the Bootleg Complex. 

Learn more about Incident Management Teams by clicking 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 ha
  • Fire activity remained subdued overnight and early morning period, no substantial growth overnight. With the weather forecast to be similar to yesterday, we expect that fire activity will pick up in the afternoon today during the warmest and driest part of the day
  • Initial attack crews are working alongside a wildfire rehabilitation specialist line locating for heavy equipment
  • Heavy equipment began reopening sections of the Mark Creek FSR on July 20 and this work continues through the day today
  • Staging with a helicopter pad is finalized and a safe zone was established yesterday
  • A unit crew is assigned to the Bootleg complex and working on developing control lines
  • Helicopters are supporting ground crews, bucketing to cool fire activity and moving crews and gear as needed

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 
  • (N10947) Estimated size - 250 ha
  • (N10944) Estimated size – 12 ha
  • Fire activity remained subdued overnight and early morning period. With the forecast similar to yesterday, July 20th, we expect that fire activity will pick up in the afternoon today as we enter the warmest and driest part of the day
  • Initial attack crews are working alongside a wildfire rehabilitation specialist line locating for heavy equipment
  • Heavy equipment teams are reopening sections of a deactivated FSR that will act as a control line
  • Helicopters are supporting ground crews, bucketing to cool fire activity and moving crews and gear as needed

N11027 – Bootleg Mountain

  • Estimated size – 10 ha
  • 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.

N10982 – Tower Creek #3 (Meachen Area)

  • This fire is Being Held

N10943 – Meachen Creek

  • This fire is Being Held

The most current wildfire information is available at www.bcwildfire.ca