New evacuation command issued by Peace River Regional District in British Columbia's northeastern region
Wildfire Chaos in BC: Pocket Knife, Kiskatinaw River, and Summit Lake Blazes
Listen up, folks! The BC Wildfire Service is issuing some serious alerts in the province's northeast. The Pocket Knife Creek wildfire and another unnamed blaze have joined forces, enlarging the initial size dramatically. As of now, it's over 610 square kilometers and considered an out-of-control wildfire of note [1][2].
The Peace River Regional District has declared an immediate danger to life safety due to this monster fire. They've orders for evacuation in the area approximately nine kilometers west of the Buckinghorse River and surrounding the Redfern Trail down toward Redfern Lake [2].
An earlier evacuation order was issued due to the Kiskatinaw River wildfire, another wildfire of note, located near the B.C.-Alberta border. Sits at about 130 square kilometers, but here's the kicker – we've got no update on its current status as of now [2].
The third wildfire of note is the Summit Lake wildfire, which is also expected to keep growing due to winds and warm weather. At present, it's nearing 106 square kilometers [2].
At a press conference last Friday, the BC Wildfire Service forecasted "extreme fire behavior" over the weekend, hinting that the Kiskatinaw River wildfire flames, pushed by strong winds, could approach the small community of Kelly Lake, roughly 80 kilometers south of Dawson Creek [1].
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2025. Stay tuned for more updates as the situation unfolds!
Insight: The Pocket Knife Creek wildfire is one of the largest fires in the province and has a history of rapid growth. Initial evacuation orders were issued due to its threatening nature. The Summit Lake wildfire, on the north side of Fort Nelson, has expanded, and its impact includes road closures and evacuation orders [1][2]. Over 90 wildfires are actively burning across British Columbia, with most of them located in the northeast, and more than three-quarters are thought to have been triggered by lightning [5].
Amidst the ongoing wildfire chaos in BC, concerns beyond the immediate flare-ups have arisen. The science community is abuzz about the potential climate-change implications of such widespread environmental-science disruptions. Meanwhile, the political landscape is rife with discussions over funding for Louisiana-like firefighting equipment and resources. Furthermore, in the realm of general-news, there's growing curiosity about the links between increased arson and economic pressures leading to crime-and-justice concerns.
