hectares burned annually (2015-2025)
Equivalent to:-
239.4 Whistler Blackcomb resorts
That’s the same as
Erasing Vancouver from the map 69 times.
Year after year.
British Columbia now experiences some of the most intense wildfire seasons in Canada.
Hotter summers, drier forests and expanding communities along the Wildland Urban Interface increase the likelihood of fast-moving fires.
The Sea to Sky region, including Whistler and Pemberton, is especially at risk due to dense conifer forests, steep terrain, and prolonged dry spells.
Floating embers cause the majority of home losses, not direct flames. They ignite dry needles, decks, wood piles and roof surfaces.
Hot, windy days can push fire into neighbourhoods quickly. Even homes several kilometres from active flames are at risk.
Unmaintained shrubs, long grass, cedar hedges and accumulated debris increase fire intensity around structures.
Reduce fuels around the home using FireSmart Zone 0–2 principles.
Maintain healthy moisture levels to prevent vegetation from becoming fuel.
Rooftop spray-bars, perimeter suppression, tanks, pumps and PLC automation designed specifically for wildfire emergencies.
The corridor’s dominant fuels – Douglas-fir, lodgepole pine, and hemlock are classified by the BC Wildfire Service and Natural Resources Canada as high-intensity burning fuels capable of producing long flame lengths and ember storms during dry summers.
Source: BCWS Fuel Type Classification; Natural Resources Canada – FBP System
Fires spread 4–5× faster uphill, and the valleys around Whistler and Pemberton naturally funnel wind, increasing fire intensity and rate of spread.
Source: Canadian Forest Service – Fire Behaviour Prediction (Slope Multipliers)
Many Sea to Sky properties sit directly at the forest edge. Research shows that most home losses occur from embers, not direct flames, making WUI communities more vulnerable.
Source: FireSmart BC – Structure Ignition Zones; ICLR Home Ignition Zone Research
Keep roofs and gutters free of needles and debris to reduce the chance of ember ignition during wildfire events.
Thin and prune vegetation within FireSmart Zones 0–2, focusing on spacing, ladder fuels, and overgrown shrubs.
Replace or hydrate cedar hedges and other flammable plantings, especially during extended dry periods.
Remove debris and stored materials from beneath decks and stairs, where wind-driven embers commonly accumulate.
Maintain consistent irrigation to reduce drought stress and keep vegetation from becoming easily ignitable.
Consider suppression or moisture-monitoring systems for properties located near forest edges or steep terrain.
Wildfire activity in British Columbia has changed dramatically over the past decade. While the number of wildfires each year fluctuates, the area they burn has increased sharply compared to earlier seasons. BC Wildfire Service statistics show a clear shift in both the scale and frequency of large wildfire years.
Between 2015 and 2024, British Columbia recorded several of the largest wildfire seasons in its history. When the hectares burned across these ten years are combined, the total is approximately 7.9 million hectares, an average of roughly 790,000 hectares per year.¹
This marks a significant increase compared to earlier decades. Prior to 2014, BC wildfire seasons generally burned far less area, and million-hectare seasons were extremely rare. BCWS data from 2008 to 2014 shows that annual burned area averaged around 150,000 hectares.²
Since 2014, extreme wildfire seasons have become more frequent, with multiple years exceeding one million hectares burned. These large seasons have raised the provincial 10-year average and highlight the growing volatility of wildfire conditions across BC.¹
¹ BC Wildfire Service – Wildfire Averages table, 2014–2024.
² BC Wildfire Service – Wildfire Averages (2008–2014) and 2015 Wildfire Emission Inventory.
150,000 hectares burned per year
(Lower, more stable wildfire activity)
7.9 million hectares burned in 10 years
790,000 hectares burned per year
(Driven by multiple extreme fire seasons)
2017 • 2018 • 2021 • 2023 • 2024
(Five major seasons within one decade)
Wildfire records show that today’s fire activity represents a long-term shift rather than a short-term spike.
After lower activity through much of the mid-20th century, climate-driven increases in wildfire size and frequency became evident in the early 2000s. BC Wildfire Service data now show repeated seasons exceeding one million hectares burned.
This shift signals a new wildfire pattern in British Columbia, with larger fires and more extreme years. For homeowners, it reinforces the need to prepare for modern wildfire conditions rather than historical norms.
¹ BC Wildfire Service – Wildfire Averages table, 2014–2024.
² BC Wildfire Service – Wildfire Averages (2008–2014) and 2015 Wildfire Emission Inventory.
Looking ahead
Research suggests that the conditions linked to large wildfires are becoming more common in British Columbia. While individual fire seasons vary, long-term preparedness helps reduce risk across a wide range of future scenarios.
Wildfire behaviour in British Columbia is becoming more unpredictable, with larger burned areas and more frequent extreme seasons. While no system can eliminate risk entirely, properties that follow FireSmart principles and incorporate moisture management or suppression infrastructure are significantly better protected.
Improving defensible space, maintaining healthy vegetation, and upgrading vulnerable building areas can greatly reduce the chance of ignition from embers. For many homes in the Sea to Sky region, these steps are the foundation for long-term wildfire resilience.
For homeowners seeking additional protection, automated suppression systems, rooftop spray bars, and remote moisture monitoring can provide a higher level of defence during fast-moving wildfire events or when evacuation orders prevent access to the property.
Strengthen vegetation zones using FireSmart Zone 0–2
Maintain regular irrigation to reduce drought stress
Upgrade vulnerable materials around the home
Consider suppression or moisture-monitoring systems
BC’s wildfire patterns are changing. Larger burned areas, more frequent extreme seasons, and longer periods of drought mean that properties across the province face greater risk than in past decades. While wildfire behaviour varies year to year, long-term trends show a clear increase in both the scale and intensity of fires.
Homes located in forested regions, steep drainage or close to the Wildland–Urban Interface are especially vulnerable to fast-moving fire events and ember ignition. Preparing your property today reduces risk, strengthens resilience, and helps protect your home when conditions shift rapidly during wildfire season.
TreeLine’s assessment process gives homeowners a clear, practical understanding of their property’s wildfire exposure. Each assessment evaluates the specific factors that influence ignition risk and resilience.
You’ll receive clear priorities, practical steps, and optional upgrade pathways designed specifically for homes in the Sea to Sky region.
Homes located in forested regions, steep drainage or close to the Wildland–Urban Interface are especially vulnerable to fast moving fire events and ember ignition. Preparing your property today reduces risk, strengthens resilience, and helps protect your home when conditions shift rapidly during wildfire season.
TreeLine designs wildfire-resilient solutions based on the same principles used in wildfire research and FireSmart guidelines.
Every property in the Sea to Sky region is unique, and our assessments focus on defensible space, vegetation health, water availability, access routes, and the specific ignition risks around each structure.
Our engineering-based approach includes:
Defensible Landscaping to reduce fuels around the home
Intelligent Irrigation to maintain moisture levels during dry periods
Automated Suppression Systems such as rooftop spray bars, perimeter nozzles, pumps, and monitoring equipment
Whether you are taking your first steps in wildfire preparedness or looking to add advanced protection, we provide clear, practical recommendations tailored to your property.
Across British Columbia, thousands of people contribute to wildfire prevention and response each year.
From frontline wildfire crews, pilots, and structure-protection units to dispatchers, analysts, heavy-equipment operators and local fire departments, The list goes on…
Their work is demanding, complex, and often carried out in extreme conditions.
TreeLine Wildfire Defence recognizes and deeply appreciates the expertise, dedication, and sacrifice of everyone involved in keeping our communities safe.
Their efforts reduce risk, protect homes, and help preserve the natural landscapes that define our province.
When comparing wildfire averages from the late 1990s to today, the increase in area burned is significant. Earlier decades experienced large fires, but the overall annual average was substantially lower than the 2014–2024 period.
A combination of warmer temperatures, lower summer precipitation, increased lightning events, and higher fuel loads has contributed to this rising trend.
Even though older measurement tools were less precise, the long-term record still shows that wildfires have become larger, faster-moving, and more destructive over time.
This 25-year timeline highlights why wildfire-resilient construction, FireSmart practices, and automated defence systems have become essential across British Columbia.
Wildfire reporting in British Columbia has become significantly more accurate over the past 20 to 25 years. Prior to the mid-2000s, many fire perimeters were mapped manually, and remote regions of the province were sometimes under-reported due to limited satellite coverage.
This means earlier records often underestimate the true area burned.
Improved satellite detection, digital mapping, and modern reporting standards now capture fire growth in real time, giving a clearer picture of how wildfire behaviour has changed over the last two decades.
Even with these differences in measurement, long-term trends show a clear increase in both the frequency and intensity of wildfires in British Columbia.
The wildfire statistics and long-term trend information on this page are based on official data published by the Province of British Columbia, including:
• BC Wildfire Service – Wildfire Averages (2008–2014, 2014–2024)
• BCWS Wildfire Season Summary Reports
• BCWS Historical Wildfire Perimeters
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