• Protecting Chinook salmon in Bessette Creek with temporary order

  Source: British Columbia - Government News
  Date: 2026-08-28 19:00:00.0
  Tags: [British Columbia, Environment, Water, Agriculture, Fisheries]

  Effective August 28, 2026, the Government of British Columbia issued a fish population protection order under the Water Sustainability Act for the Bessette Creek watershed in the Thompson Okanagan region due to persistent severe drought and record-low streamflows. The temporary order halts water use for 131 surface-water and groundwater licence holders and transitioning users engaged in forage crop irrigation, crop harvesting, processing ore, and other water-intensive industrial activities to protect endangered Chinook salmon. The Province offers support through the Agriculture Water Infrastructure Program—which has invested $120 million since 2023 across more than 700 producer projects—alongside the $285.5-million B.C. Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund.

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• Provincial state of emergency ends, wildfire risk remains

  Source: British Columbia - Government News
  Date: 2026-08-27 22:25:00.0
  Tags: [British Columbia, Emergency, Public Safety, Environment]

  The Government of British Columbia ended the provincial state of emergency, which was initially declared on August 8, 2026, on the advice of emergency management officials. The cancellation has no impact on existing local states of emergency, evacuation orders, or evacuation alerts issued by local governments or First Nations. Statutory powers for response and resource coordination continue to be provided through the Wildfire Act and the Emergency and Disaster Management Act. Despite the provincial state of emergency ending, elevated wildfire risk persists due to ongoing warm and dry conditions, and the Province retains the authority to declare a new state of emergency if required.

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