BC Extends Provincial State of Emergency Through Aug 29 as Bald Range Fire Stabilizes

The Government of British Columbia extended its province-wide state of emergency — first declared Aug 8 amid the Bald Range fire crisis — for a further seven days through Saturday, Aug 29, citing continued elevated wildfire risk in the Okanagan and elsewhere even as most Bald Range evacuees have returned home. Officials said they have not yet needed to issue emergency orders under the extension but are keeping the powers available as conditions evolve. The Bald Range fire itself held essentially flat at 25,021 hectares through Aug 23 after 6–7mm of weekend rain moderated fire behaviour despite gusty winds, while BC Wildfire Service reported more than 150 active wildfires provincewide, nearly 60 of them out of control.