Cariboo, Electoral Area J

Its land, ranked in BC

Shares of the land area, worked out from the Province's maps. Fire perimeters before the 1950s are less complete. A title or a past fire somewhere in the area says nothing about a given lot: a property report checks the parcel itself.

Large fires (1,000 ha or more) since 1990

Since 1990, 53 wildfires of 1,000 ha or more burned in Area J, together 599,057 ha, 22% of its land (ground that burned twice counts once). The most here was the Plateau wildfire in 2017, 125,515 ha.

1. 2026Lessard Lake wildfire6,103 ha in all6,103 ha here
2. 2026Palmer Creek wildfire3,097 ha in all3,097 ha here
3. 2025Itcha Lake wildfire57,886 ha in all57,886 ha here
4. 2025Dusty Lake wildfire22,883 ha in all22,883 ha here
5. 2025Beef Trail Creek wildfire13,574 ha in all13,574 ha here
6. 2025Palmer Creek wildfire8,356 ha in all8,356 ha here
7. 2025Smokey Lake wildfire7,790 ha in all7,790 ha here
8. 2025Redbrush wildfire5,496 ha in all5,496 ha here
9. 2025Nuntsi Creek wildfire4,984 ha in all4,984 ha here
10. 2025Martin Lake wildfire2,245 ha in all2,245 ha here

And 43 more

1. 2025Tsetzi Lake wildfire9,369 ha in all · 5% of it here464 ha here
2. 2023Hell Raving Creek wildfire16,668 ha in all16,668 ha here
3. 2023Gatcho Lake wildfire21,927 ha in all · 71% of it here15,656 ha here
4. 2023Satah Mountain wildfire6,652 ha in all6,652 ha here
5. 2023Anahim Peak wildfire3,347 ha in all3,347 ha here
6. 2023Corkscrew Creek wildfire1,282 ha in all1,282 ha here
7. 2023Unnamed fire C530021,299 ha in all · 79% of it here1,024 ha here
8. 2023Oppy Lake wildfire40,580 ha in all · 1% of it here579 ha here
9. 2023Crag Creek wildfire3,830 ha in all · 8% of it here323 ha here
10. 2021Unnamed fire C512907,195 ha in all7,195 ha here
11. 2021Unnamed fire C513551,833 ha in all · 42% of it here779 ha here
12. 2018Tweedsmuir Complex wildfire79,394 ha in all · 80% of it here63,416 ha here
13. 2018Unnamed fire VA196444,817 ha in all44,817 ha here
14. 2018Unnamed fire C1183712,321 ha in all12,321 ha here
15. 2018Unnamed fire C1259410,542 ha in all10,542 ha here
16. 2018Unnamed fire V9234819,050 ha in all · 7% of it here1,391 ha here
17. 2018Unnamed fire C526461,136 ha in all1,136 ha here
18. 2018Unnamed fire R1231587,036 ha in all · under 1% of it here310 ha here
19. 2018Unnamed fire V9111912,313 ha in all · under 1% of it here113 ha here
20. 2017Plateau wildfire520,885 ha in all · 24% of it here125,515 ha here
21. 2017Kleena Kleene wildfire24,957 ha in all24,957 ha here
22. 2015Puntzi Lake wildfire8,078 ha in all8,077 ha here
23. 2014Euchiniko Lakes wildfire21,090 ha in all · 5% of it here1,065 ha here
24. 2013Itcha Ilgachuz Provincial Park wildfire1,208 ha in all1,208 ha here
25. 2010Corkscrew Basin wildfire6,035 ha in all6,035 ha here
26. 2010Unnamed fire C503016,034 ha in all6,034 ha here
27. 2010Tsacha Lake wildfire13,093 ha in all · 31% of it here4,116 ha here
28. 2010Highway 20 and Tweedsmuir Park wildfire3,086 ha in all · 99% of it here3,070 ha here
29. 2010Unnamed fire C503401,024 ha in all1,024 ha here
30. 2010Unnamed fire C5023411,639 ha in all · 7% of it here843 ha here
31. 2010Unnamed fire C502381,590 ha in all · 53% of it here840 ha here
32. 2010Tweedsmuir Park wildfire4,274 ha in all · 4% of it here174 ha here
33. 2009Lava Canyon wildfire67,743 ha in all · 81% of it here54,595 ha here
34. 2009Chilko Lake wildfire4,171 ha in all4,171 ha here
35. 2009Corkscrew Basin wildfire1,738 ha in all1,738 ha here
36. 2009Heckman Pass Area wildfire2,826 ha in all · 16% of it here446 ha here
37. 2006Dean wildfire11,119 ha in all11,119 ha here
38. 2006Unnamed fire C104661,238 ha in all1,238 ha here
39. 2004Lonesome Lake wildfire20,506 ha in all · 21% of it here4,336 ha here
40. 2004Klinaklini Valley wildfire4,838 ha in all · 76% of it here3,655 ha here
41. 2004Unnamed fire C501492,409 ha in all2,409 ha here
42. 2003Unnamed fire C5021427,656 ha in all27,656 ha here
43. 2003Unnamed fire C501991,745 ha in all1,745 ha here

Smaller mapped fires since 2016

Since 2016, the BC Wildfire Service mapped 88 smaller fires (under 1,000 ha) that reached Area J, newest first. This season's are as mapped by November 9, 2026.

1. 2026Unnamed fire VA1674710 ha in all710 ha here
2. 2026Konni Lake wildfire237 ha in all · 54% of it here127 ha here
3. 2026Unnamed fire C10095116 ha in all · 77% of it here89 ha here
4. 2026Unnamed fire C1007378 ha in all78 ha here
5. 2026Unnamed fire C5017324 ha in all · 80% of it here19 ha here
6. 2026Unnamed fire C504424.6 ha in all4.6 ha here
7. 2026Unnamed fire C500573.1 ha in all3.1 ha here
8. 2026Unnamed fire C119412.7 ha in all2.7 ha here

And 80 more

1. 2026Unnamed fire C510392.7 ha in all2.7 ha here
2. 2026Unnamed fire C517722.6 ha in all2.6 ha here
3. 2026Unnamed fire C509462.1 ha in all2.1 ha here
4. 2026Unnamed fire C510221.4 ha in all1.4 ha here
5. 2025Klina Klini wildfire541 ha in all541 ha here
6. 2025Taccatolie Creek wildfire466 ha in all466 ha here
7. 2025Unnamed fire C51956164 ha in all164 ha here
8. 2025Unnamed fire C5188319 ha in all19 ha here
9. 2025Unnamed fire C5184911 ha in all11 ha here
10. 2025Unnamed fire C513089.2 ha in all9.2 ha here
11. 2025Unnamed fire C511828 ha in all8 ha here
12. 2025Unnamed fire C501053.7 ha in all3.7 ha here
13. 2025Unnamed fire C518072.8 ha in all2.8 ha here
14. 2025Unnamed fire C503282.2 ha in all2.2 ha here
15. 2025Unnamed fire C518871.3 ha in all1.3 ha here
16. 2025Unnamed fire C517210.8 ha in all0.8 ha here
17. 2024Benito Creek wildfire926 ha in all926 ha here
18. 2024Unnamed fire C51951533 ha in all533 ha here
19. 2024Unnamed fire C5024848 ha in all48 ha here
20. 2024Unnamed fire C5041415 ha in all15 ha here
21. 2024Unnamed fire VA22048.2 ha in all8.2 ha here
22. 2024Unnamed fire C504764.7 ha in all4.7 ha here
23. 2024Unnamed fire C504133.5 ha in all3.5 ha here
24. 2024Unnamed fire C500672.4 ha in all2.4 ha here
25. 2024Unnamed fire C519481.7 ha in all1.7 ha here
26. 2023Irene Lake wildfire342 ha in all342 ha here
27. 2023Unnamed fire C11319339 ha in all339 ha here
28. 2023Lltysuko Lake wildfire329 ha in all329 ha here
29. 2023Pelican Lake wildfire146 ha in all146 ha here
30. 2023Grizzly Creek wildfire100 ha in all100 ha here
31. 2023Unnamed fire C1132636 ha in all36 ha here
32. 2023Unnamed fire C1132132 ha in all32 ha here
33. 2023Unnamed fire C5012910 ha in all · 6% of it here0.6 ha here
34. 2023Unnamed fire C113285 ha in all5 ha here
35. 2023Unnamed fire C500944.8 ha in all4.8 ha here
36. 2023Unnamed fire C515614.7 ha in all4.7 ha here
37. 2023Unnamed fire C509033.7 ha in all3.7 ha here
38. 2023Unnamed fire C508993 ha in all3 ha here
39. 2023Unnamed fire C517532.2 ha in all2.2 ha here
40. 2023Tsuniah Lake wildfire2.1 ha in all2.1 ha here
41. 2023Unnamed fire C519441.8 ha in all1.8 ha here
42. 2023Unnamed fire C502540.8 ha in all0.8 ha here
43. 2022Bidwell Lake wildfire222 ha in all222 ha here
44. 2022Unnamed fire C52512172 ha in all172 ha here
45. 2022Unnamed fire C5018992 ha in all · 92% of it here85 ha here
46. 2022Unnamed fire C5280261 ha in all61 ha here
47. 2022Unnamed fire C520397.5 ha in all7.5 ha here
48. 2022Unnamed fire C113015.6 ha in all5.6 ha here
49. 2022Unnamed fire C524673.7 ha in all3.7 ha here
50. 2022Unnamed fire C501423.5 ha in all3.5 ha here
51. 2022Unnamed fire C516813 ha in all3 ha here
52. 2022Unnamed fire C500710.5 ha in all · 73% of it here0.4 ha here
53. 2021Unnamed fire C51606924 ha in all924 ha here
54. 2021Unnamed fire C52323233 ha in all233 ha here
55. 2021Unnamed fire C5036638 ha in all38 ha here
56. 2021Unnamed fire C5051512 ha in all12 ha here
57. 2021Unnamed fire C523027.7 ha in all7.7 ha here
58. 2021Lily Pad Pond wildfire4.8 ha in all4.8 ha here
59. 2021Unnamed fire C113431.3 ha in all1.3 ha here
60. 2021Unnamed fire C125730.9 ha in all0.9 ha here
61. 2019Salmon River wildfire73 ha in all73 ha here
62. 2018Unnamed fire C52689747 ha in all747 ha here
63. 2018Unnamed fire C52688285 ha in all · 26% of it here75 ha here
64. 2018Unnamed fire C51925123 ha in all123 ha here
65. 2018Unnamed fire C5083991 ha in all91 ha here
66. 2018Unnamed fire C5175252 ha in all52 ha here
67. 2018Unnamed fire VA192741 ha in all41 ha here
68. 2018Unnamed fire C521444.9 ha in all4.9 ha here
69. 2017Unnamed fire C5091892 ha in all92 ha here
70. 2017Unnamed fire VA08723.9 ha in all3.9 ha here
71. 2017Unnamed fire C503733.3 ha in all3.3 ha here
72. 2017Unnamed fire C111981.9 ha in all1.9 ha here
73. 2016Unnamed fire C50057199 ha in all199 ha here
74. 2016Unnamed fire C5009929 ha in all29 ha here
75. 2016Unnamed fire C5002822 ha in all22 ha here
76. 2016Unnamed fire C5001518 ha in all18 ha here
77. 2016Unnamed fire C500396.7 ha in all6.7 ha here
78. 2016Unnamed fire C500185.5 ha in all5.5 ha here
79. 2016Unnamed fire C500293.6 ha in all3.6 ha here
80. 2016Unnamed fire C500272.5 ha in all2.5 ha here

Small fires that were never mapped as a perimeter aren't listed: the BC Wildfire Service maps an outline for only some of the fires it records. Past fire is history, not a forecast. The chance of fire on a lot today depends on what the record doesn't show: the forest and grass around it, the slope, what has been thinned or burned since, and how far it is from a fire hall. Every BC season and large fire since 1990.

Sources: BC Wildfire Fire Perimeters – Historical, BC Wildfire Service; BC Wildfire Fire Perimeters – Current, BC Wildfire Service; BC Wildfire Fire Incident Locations – Historical, BC Wildfire Service; BC Wildfire Fire Locations – Current, BC Wildfire Service (Open Government Licence – British Columbia), as published on November 10, 2026; 2021 census subdivision boundaries, Statistics Canada (Statistics Canada Open Licence). Outlines simplified and places measured by PlaceDossier.

How the land burned

On the Province's ecosystem map, Area J's land is 58% NDT3 (burned in large fires about every 100 to 150 years), 19% NDT5 (alpine tundra and subalpine parkland), 14% NDT2 (burned in large fires about every 200 years), 9% NDT4 (burned often and lightly, every 4 to 50 years) and under 1% NDT1 (rarely burned, about every 250 to 350 years and in patches). Its main biogeoclimatic zones are Sub-Boreal Pine–Spruce (31%), Montane Spruce (23%) and Engelmann Spruce–Subalpine Fir (21%). This is how the land burned before fires were put out, not its fire risk today. A report names the type over a lot. Every place's natural fire regime.

Source: BEC Map (biogeoclimatic zones and natural disturbance types), Province of BC (Open Government Licence – British Columbia), read 2026-10-12; areas worked out on the census boundaries.

Evacuations since April 2017

Since April 2017, the Province's record holds 11 wildfire events with an evacuation order or alert over Area J, 5 with an order. The latest order: Dusty Lake Fire, September 2025.

1. 2026Lessard Lake WildfireJuly 2026 · evacuation alert · Cariboo Regional District and Ulkatcho First Nation54 homes
2. 2025Dusty Lake FireSeptember 2025 · evacuation order · Cariboo Regional District392 homes
3. 2025Beef Trail CreekSeptember 2025 · evacuation order · Cariboo Regional District324 homes
4. 2025Puntzi Creek ComplexSeptember 2025 · evacuation order and alert · Cariboo Regional District391 homes
5. 2025C51842 WildfireSeptember 2025 · evacuation alert · Cariboo Regional District42 homes
6. 2023Trumpeter Mountain WildfireJuly 2023 · evacuation alert · Cariboo Regional District300 homes
7. 2023Pelican Lake WildfireMay 2023 · evacuation alert · Cariboo Regional District156 homes
8. 2021Anahim Lake AreaJuly 2021 · evacuation alert · Cariboo Regional District313 homes

And 3 more

1. 2017Kleena Kleene WildfireAugust 2017 · evacuation order · Cariboo Regional District497 homes
2. 2017Plateau WildfireAugust 2017 · evacuation order · Cariboo Regional District3 homes
3. 2017Hanceville-Riske Creek WildfireAugust 2017 · evacuation alert · Cariboo Regional District91 homes

Listed when an order or alert area covered at least 5% of the land in Area J, or lay mostly in Area J and held at least 5% as many homes as the 2021 census counted there. An order means people were told to leave; an alert, to be ready to leave. Homes are the record's own counts, area by area, shown where the areas lie mostly in Area J. The Province's record starts in April 2017: earlier evacuations aren't in it. A lot's report checks every order and alert over the lot itself, and any in effect now.

Sources: Historical Orders and Alerts, Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (Open Government Licence – British Columbia), as published on November 2, 2026; 2021 census subdivision boundaries and dwelling counts, Statistics Canada (Statistics Canada Open Licence). Each order and alert area placed in the municipalities and electoral areas it covers by us.

Evacuations for floods, landslides and other hazards since April 2017

None of the flood, landslide or other non-fire evacuation orders or alerts in the Province's record since April 2017 covered 5% or more of the land or homes in Area J.

Sources: Historical Orders and Alerts, Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (Open Government Licence – British Columbia), as published on November 2, 2026; 2021 census subdivision boundaries and dwelling counts, Statistics Canada (Statistics Canada Open Licence). Each order and alert area placed in the municipalities and electoral areas it covers by us.

171 landslides are recorded inside Area J in the Preliminary Canadian Landslide Database (version 14.0), including 30 rock irregular slides, 29 earth slides and 24 rock rotational slides. The latest with a date of its own: a rock avalanche, Sep 2021 (listed under “Majestic rock avalanche”). The database lists slides known to have happened, mapped from inventories, satellite images and lidar. It isn't a hazard map, and some parts of BC are mapped in far more detail than others. Landslides near a given lot.

The Province lists 41 dams in Area J, 2 of them classed High or above for the harm a failure would do downstream: McGhee Lake South Dam (High) and McGhee Lake North Dam (High). Of these, 6 are recorded as breached (failed). The class rates what a failure would do, not how likely one is; a report names the dams within 1 km of a lot. Dams in BC, by place.

9 Water Survey of Canada gauges in Area J have 5 or more years of yearly peak flows: Chilko River at Outlet of Chilko Lake peaked highest at 210 m³/s in 1969 (92 years on record), Dean River below Tanswanket Creek peaked highest at 266 m³/s in 2011 (51 years on record) and Lingfield Creek near the Mouth peaked highest at 29.3 m³/s in 2007 (46 years on record), among others. A gauge's record is the river where it stands, not a flood line; a report gives the nearest gauge on a river by the lot. River gauges in BC, by place.

Radon

Area J lies in 2 health regions. In Thompson Cariboo Shuswap (about 71% of the area), 7 of the 109 homes tested (6.4%) were at or above the 200 Bq/m³ guideline; In North Shore/Coast Garibaldi (about 28% of the area), 2 of the 81 homes tested (2.5%) were at or above the 200 Bq/m³ guideline, in Health Canada's 2009–2011 survey; across BC, 143 of 1,817 (7.9%).

The survey tested about a hundred volunteer homes per health region, with one long-term test each. That gives a rough regional picture: it isn't a map, and a region where few or none tested high can still have homes above the guideline. The only way to know is to test the home: radon and buying a home in BC.

Source: Cross-Canada Survey of Radon Concentrations in Homes (2009–2011), Health Canada (Open Government Licence – Canada); Health Service Delivery Area Boundaries, Province of BC (Open Government Licence – British Columbia).

Check one lot: has it burned? · is it on a floodplain map? · is it behind a dike? · is there a dam nearby? · landslides nearby? · contaminated sites nearby? · radon? · how much is too steep?

Source: Agricultural Land Reserve polygons, Agricultural Land Commission (Open Government Licence – British Columbia); Fire perimeters – historical, BC Wildfire Service (Open Government Licence – British Columbia); Mineral, placer and coal tenures, Mineral Titles Branch (Open Government Licence – British Columbia); Preliminary Canadian Landslide Database, version 14.0 (May 2026), Brideau et al. (CC BY 4.0); 2021 census subdivision boundaries, Statistics Canada (Statistics Canada Open Licence).

Normals for 1981-2010 at the Lunch Lake station, about 12 km from Tatla Lake (of the communities here with a station within 30 km, the one with the most addresses); ECCC has no fuller 1991-2020 set for it. Its normals don't include the frost-free period, days with snow on the ground, days over 30 °C or degree days, so those are left out. * Based on at least 20 of the 30 years, short of the World Meteorological Organization's standard: treat as a rougher guide. The records are single days measured at the station: the most rain, snow and wind it saw in its record up to 2010 (ECCC's 1981-2010 sets give records over the station's whole history, so some dates are older than 1981). Each is one event, not what to expect in a year, and the lot can get more or less than the station. Elevation matters a lot in BC: a hillside lot can be much colder and snowier than the station.

Plant hardiness zone: most homes here are in zone 3a (46%); 37% are in 2b, 13% are in 2a, on Natural Resources Canada's 2025 map. Higher numbers are milder winters. What the zones mean.

Solar panels: a south-facing panel tilted at the latitude would make about 1,040 kWh a year for each kW of panels at Tatla Lake, about 36 of it in December (estimated from Natural Resources Canada's 1998-2022 sunshine map). An open sky is assumed: the hills, trees and buildings around a lot cut it, and a report sets the lot's own skyline beside it. What solar panels would make in BC.

By the 2050s (2041-2070) at Tatla Lake, climate models project about 7 more days over 30 °C a year, a longest frost-free run about 40 days longer and about 4 percentage points less of winter's precipitation falling as snow, each against the same models' 1971-2000 (model projections under SSP2-4.5, a middle path for emissions). The models work on a grid of about 9 by 6 km, which averages valley floors with the slopes around them, so their own figures can sit well off a station's normals and aren't comparable with them. Their own figures there: about 8 days over 30 °C a year in 2041-2070 (range 5 to 19 across the models), against about 1 day in 1971-2000; a longest frost-free run of about 120 days (range 110 to 145), against about 80; and about 90% of winter's precipitation falling as snow (range 84% to 92%), against about 94%. The ranges run from the 10th to the 90th percentile of the models' 2041-2070 figures. The 2050s across BC.

Light at night within 1 km of Tatla Lake: none recorded from space, and darker than about 94% of BC's homes (2024 satellite record). A lot away from the centre can be much darker. How dark are BC's nights?

Lightning: around Tatla Lake, a cloud-to-ground flash within 10 km on about 4 days a year and 0.07 flashes per km² a year, more than at 3 in 4 BC homes (the Canadian Lightning Detection Network, 1998-2025 average, on a grid of about 11 by 7 km).

Source: Canadian Climate Normals 1991-2020 and 1981-2010, Environment and Climate Change Canada (Open Government Licence – Canada); Plant hardiness zones of Canada (2025 map), Natural Resources Canada (Open Government Licence – Canada); Medium Resolution Digital Elevation Model (MRDEM-30), Natural Resources Canada (Open Government Licence – Canada); Solar position: General Solar Position Calculations (NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory; Spencer, 1971) (Public domain); Daily average solar irradiance on tilted surfaces for all of Canada (1998-2022), Natural Resources Canada (Open Government Licence – Canada); Photovoltaic Potential and Solar Resource Maps of Canada (performance ratio), Natural Resources Canada (Open Government Licence – Canada); Statistically downscaled climate indices from CMIP6 global climate models (CanDCS-M6), Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium, via the Canadian Centre for Climate Services (Open Government Licence – Canada); VIIRS Nighttime Lights, 2024 annual composite, Earth Observation Group, Payne Institute for Public Policy, Colorado School of Mines (Elvidge et al. 2021, Remote Sensing 13(5):922), via Hengl, OpenGeoHub, Zenodo doi 10.5281/zenodo.7750174 (CC BY 4.0); Canadian Lightning Detection Network cloud-to-ground flashes (CanCPLDv1), Environment and Climate Change Canada (Open Government Licence – Canada).