B.C. Residents, Businesses Urged To Conserve Water

The Province wants British Columbians to watch how much water they are using.

With continuing dry conditions, the government is asking people and businesses to reduce water use wherever possible and observe all watering restrictions from their local or regional government, water utility provider or irrigation district.

Also, the province has expanded campfire bans throughout BC.

Category 1 campfires are prohibited throughout B.C. with the exception of Haida Gwaii. Campfires have already been prohibited in many regions of B.C., but now it's near total.

There is a state of emergency in place in the Stikine Region - but that’s it for now. Bowinn Ma, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, says they are assessing the situation province-wide.

Declaring a state of emergency for a region or the entire province gives officials the use of all necessary tools under the Emergency Program Act.

The Wildfire Act provides the Province with everything needed to ensure the co-ordination of provincial and international resources, and support for suppressing wildfires.

There are 311 active wildfires burning in the province - 115 were started over the weekend. Currently, there are 12 evacuation orders affecting approximately 156 people, in addition to 12 evacuation alerts affecting 629 people in the northwest, northeast and Cariboo regions.

If conservation measures don’t work as drought conditions worsen, temporary protection orders under the Water Sustainability Act may be issued to support drinking water for communities and avoid significant or irreversible harm to aquatic ecosystems.

Provincial staff are monitoring the situation and working to balance water use with environmental flow needs.

For more information, visit Government of British Columbia.