Central Kootenay, Electoral Area H

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, 10 wildfires of 1,000 ha or more burned in Area H, together 27,451 ha, 8% of its land (ground that burned twice counts once). The most here was the Nemo Creek wildfire in 2024, 5,980 ha.

1. 2024Nemo Creek wildfire5,980 ha in all5,980 ha here
2. 2024Komonko Creek wildfire4,082 ha in all4,082 ha here
3. 2024Mulvey Creek wildfire2,235 ha in all2,235 ha here
4. 2024Ponderosa FSR wildfire1,931 ha in all1,931 ha here
5. 2021Trozzo Creek wildfire5,953 ha in all · 96% of it here5,693 ha here
6. 2021Mt. Ruppel wildfire2,360 ha in all2,360 ha here
7. 2020Talbott Creek wildfire1,303 ha in all1,303 ha here
8. 2018Blacktail Mountain wildfire2,363 ha in all · 99% of it here2,350 ha here
9. 2015Deer Creek Park wildfire1,240 ha in all · 17% of it here216 ha here
10. 2007Springer Creek wildfire1,924 ha in all1,924 ha here

Smaller mapped fires since 2016

Since 2016, the BC Wildfire Service mapped 45 smaller fires (under 1,000 ha) that reached Area H, newest first. This season's are as mapped by November 9, 2026.

1. 2026Unnamed fire N51207368 ha in all368 ha here
2. 2026Unnamed fire N51284279 ha in all279 ha here
3. 2026Unnamed fire N5173734 ha in all34 ha here
4. 2026Unnamed fire N5087012 ha in all12 ha here
5. 2025Unnamed fire N511381 ha in all1 ha here
6. 2025Unnamed fire N502100.9 ha in all0.9 ha here
7. 2024Unnamed fire N51228399 ha in all399 ha here
8. 2024Unnamed fire N51120136 ha in all · 24% of it here32 ha here

And 37 more

1. 2024Unnamed fire N5112683 ha in all · 38% of it here31 ha here
2. 2024Unnamed fire N5157952 ha in all · 29% of it here15 ha here
3. 2024Unnamed fire N5112938 ha in all38 ha here
4. 2024Wilson Creek wildfire21 ha in all21 ha here
5. 2023Carpenter Mountain wildfire28 ha in all28 ha here
6. 2023Goose Creek wildfire10 ha in all10 ha here
7. 2023Mt Sentinnel wildfire3.4 ha in all3.4 ha here
8. 2022Unnamed fire N5127818 ha in all18 ha here
9. 2022Slocan Bluffs wildfire9.9 ha in all9.9 ha here
10. 2022West Kokanee wildfire2.8 ha in all · 97% of it here2.7 ha here
11. 2022Winlaw Creek wildfire2.4 ha in all2.4 ha here
12. 2022Unnamed fire N506830.9 ha in all0.9 ha here
13. 2021Wilson Creek wildfire2.5 ha in all2.5 ha here
14. 2020Unnamed fire N512481.2 ha in all1.2 ha here
15. 2020Airy Creek wildfire1 ha in all1 ha here
16. 2019Unnamed fire N518311.9 ha in all1.9 ha here
17. 2018Shannon Creek wildfire624 ha in all623 ha here
18. 2018Unnamed fire N52471558 ha in all558 ha here
19. 2018Unnamed fire N52502190 ha in all190 ha here
20. 2018Unnamed fire N51528184 ha in all184 ha here
21. 2018Unnamed fire N52546103 ha in all · 11% of it here11 ha here
22. 2018Unnamed fire N5249182 ha in all82 ha here
23. 2018Unnamed fire N5132515 ha in all15 ha here
24. 2018Unnamed fire N515416.4 ha in all6.4 ha here
25. 2018Unnamed fire N514421.9 ha in all1.9 ha here
26. 2018Unnamed fire N515451.3 ha in all1.3 ha here
27. 2018Unnamed fire N522491.2 ha in all1.2 ha here
28. 2017Mt Carpenter wildfire5.5 ha in all5.5 ha here
29. 2017Unnamed fire N510805.4 ha in all5.4 ha here
30. 2017Unnamed fire N517024.6 ha in all4.6 ha here
31. 2017Unnamed fire N516973.1 ha in all3.1 ha here
32. 2017Unnamed fire N501732.3 ha in all2.3 ha here
33. 2017Unnamed fire N517011.9 ha in all1.9 ha here
34. 2017Unnamed fire N507891 ha in all1 ha here
35. 2016Unnamed fire N5037621 ha in all21 ha here
36. 2016Unnamed fire N503772.8 ha in all2.8 ha here
37. 2016Unnamed fire N503791.2 ha in all1.2 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 H's land is 47% NDT1 (rarely burned, about every 250 to 350 years and in patches), 31% NDT2 (burned in large fires about every 200 years), 12% NDT3 (burned in large fires about every 100 to 150 years), 9% NDT5 (alpine tundra and subalpine parkland) and 1% NDT4 (burned often and lightly, every 4 to 50 years). Its main biogeoclimatic zones are Engelmann Spruce–Subalpine Fir (54%) and Interior Cedar–Hemlock (44%). 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 2 wildfire events with an evacuation order or alert over Area H, alerts only. The latest: Wilson Creek Wildfire, July 2024.

1. 2024Wilson Creek WildfireJuly 2024 · evacuation alert · Regional District of Central Kootenay521 homes
2. 2020Lebahdo, Little Slocan, Passmore and VallicanAugust 2020 · evacuation alert · Regional District of Central Kootenay196 homes

Listed when an order or alert area covered at least 5% of the land in Area H, or lay mostly in Area H 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 H. 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

Since April 2017, the Province's record holds 2 flood events with an evacuation order or alert over Area H, 1 with an order. The latest order: Slocan River Drainage, May 2020.

1. 2020Slocan River DrainageMay 2020 · evacuation order (flood) · Regional District of Central Kootenay274 homes
2. 2020Unnamed floodMay 2020 · evacuation alert (flood) · Regional District of Central Kootenay

Listed when an order or alert area covered at least 5% of the land in Area H, or lay mostly in Area H 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 H. 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.

27 landslides are recorded inside Area H in the Preliminary Canadian Landslide Database (version 14.0), including 6 debris flows, 5 rock slides and 3 mountain slope deformations. The latest with a date of its own: a debris flood, 2 May 2023. 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 maps under a kilometre of dikes in Area H, along Lemon Creek; the longest is the Lemon Creek dike. All of it is orphaned, with no local authority responsible. A dike lowers the chance of a flood behind it, not to nothing; a report names the dikes within 1 km of a lot and who maintains them. Dikes in BC, by place.

The Province lists 5 dams in Area H, none classed High or above for the harm a failure would do downstream. 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.

2 Water Survey of Canada gauges in Area H have 5 or more years of yearly peak flows: Slocan River near Crescent Valley peaked highest at 719 m³/s in 1961 (90 years on record) and Lemon Creek above South Lemon Creek peaked highest at 90.6 m³/s in 1974 (42 years on record). 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

In the Kootenay Boundary health region, 32 of the 109 homes tested (29%) in Health Canada's 2009–2011 survey were at or above the 200 Bq/m³ guideline; 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).

Mapped aquifers

12 mapped aquifers lie in Area H, most wells first.

1. 1Aquifer 1117: Glade Overburdenconfined sand and gravel (glacial)439 wells · moderate productivity
2. 2Aquifer 513: North Castlegar Bedrockfractured crystalline bedrock337 wells · moderate productivity
3. 3Aquifer 1116: Roseberyunconfined sand and gravel (alluvial or colluvial fan)28 wells · moderate productivity
4. 4Aquifer 1126: Village of Slocanunconfined sand and gravel (medium stream system)19 wells · moderate productivity
5. 5Aquifer 1122: Winlawconfined sand and gravel (glacial)16 wells · moderate productivity
6. 6Aquifer 1125: Lemon Creekunconfined sand and gravel (medium stream system)13 wells · moderate productivity
7. 7Aquifer 1124: Winlaw to Lemon Creekfractured crystalline bedrock8 wells · low productivity
8. 8Aquifer 1121: Valican and Passmorefractured crystalline bedrock8 wells · low productivity
9. 9Aquifer 1123: Appledaleconfined sand and gravel (glacial)7 wells · moderate productivity
10. 10Aquifer 1120: Valican, junction of Slocan Riversconfined sand and gravel (glacial)1 well · moderate productivity

And 2 more

11. 11Aquifer 512: Falls Creek near West Arm, Kootenay Lakefractured crystalline bedrock0 wells · moderate productivity
12. 12Aquifer 1114: South of Goose Creekfractured crystalline bedrock0 wells · moderate productivity

An aquifer is listed for each place that holds at least a twentieth of it, so a sliver of one at the edge can be left out. Wells and productivity are for the whole aquifer, which can reach well beyond Area H. The province maps aquifers mostly in settled valleys, so a lot outside every outline can still have groundwater. Every mapped aquifer in BC · sampled lakes.

Sampled lakes

6 sampled lakes lie in Area H (one only partly), largest first.

1. 1Slocan Lake69 km² · 98% of it hereclarity 15.5 m (2015–2025)
2. 2Beatrice Lake2 km²too few readings to judge
3. 3Summit Lake (Slocan River watershed)2 km²too few readings to judge
4. 4Wee Sandy Lake76.6 hatoo few readings to judge
5. 5Cahill Lake72.9 hatoo few readings to judge
6. 6Beaver Lake (Slocan River watershed)11.8 hatoo few readings to judge

A lake is listed for each place that holds at least a twentieth of it or 100 ha of it. Clarity is the median summer Secchi depth; the nutrient class is our reading of Carlson's index from phosphorus or chlorophyll, not a provincial rating. Either is given only for a lake with at least 10 summer readings from open water, spread over at least 3 different years, since 2012. Most lakes have never been sampled, so a lake missing here may simply have no record. Every sampled lake in BC.

Source: Groundwater wells (GWELLS), Province of BC (Open Government Licence – British Columbia); Ground Water Aquifers, Water Protection and Sustainability Branch, Province of BC (Open Government Licence – British Columbia); BC Environmental Monitoring Data System (EnMoDS) results, Province of BC (Open Government Licence – British Columbia); 2021 census subdivision boundaries, Statistics Canada (Statistics Canada Open Licence).

Normals for 1991-2020 at the Nelson station, about 23 km from Winlaw (of the communities here with a station within 30 km, the one with the most addresses). Its normals don't include yearly precipitation, yearly snowfall, the frost-free period or days with snow on the ground, 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 1991-2020. 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. We don't set this station's figures against other places: it's more than 15 km from the place.

Plant hardiness zone: most homes here are in zone 7a (41%); 31% are in 7b, 14% are in 6b, 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 1,020 kWh a year for each kW of panels at Winlaw, about 37 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 Winlaw, climate models project about 19 more days over 30 °C a year, a longest frost-free run about 50 days longer and about 18 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 25 days over 30 °C a year in 2041-2070 (range 17 to 44 across the models), against about 6 days in 1971-2000; a longest frost-free run of about 195 days (range 160 to 210), against about 145; and about 64% of winter's precipitation falling as snow (range 48% to 68%), against about 82%. 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 Winlaw: faint, as around Wells or Lytton (our reading), and darker than about 90% 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 Winlaw, a cloud-to-ground flash within 10 km on about 13 days a year and 0.24 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).

The BC Energy Regulator maps about 2.9 km of active oil and gas pipeline in Area H, permitted to FortisBC Energy Inc. A report lists any pipeline within 200 m of a lot, and flags one within 30 m, where digging needs the permit holder's agreement. Pipelines in BC, by place.

The Province lists 10 active waste discharge authorizations in Area H; the commonest kinds: sewage treatment or discharge site (3), vehicle dismantling and recycling yard (2) and asphalt plant (1). Of these, 1 may discharge to air, 4 effluent to water or land and 1 refuse to land. A report lists any within 2 km of a lot, and flags one whose point is on it. Permitted discharges in BC, by place.

The Province maps no open gravel pit or quarry in Area H, but 5 open mine permits: 3 mineral exploration permit areas and 2 mineral exploration or mine permit areas. A report lists the permits within 2 km of a lot, names an open pit or quarry within 500 m and flags one whose permit area takes in the lot. Gravel pits and mine permits in BC, by place.

On ParcelMap BC, the land in Area H is 5% private, 17% Crown land with a parcel drawn (14% with no title); no parcel is mapped over 78%, likely most of it untitled Crown land, with lakes and road allowances. A report says who owns the land along a lot's line. Crown land next to a property, and every place's land by owner.

The Province maps 29 registered traplines over 93% of the area in Area H. The map is drawn over titled land too, but traplines are registered on Crown land: on titled land, anyone but the owner or occupier needs their written permission to trap. A report says whether one takes in a lot. Traplines and guiding territories in BC, by place.

Area H lies in wildlife management units 4-16 (50%), 4-17 (49%): the Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis sets seasons and closed areas by unit. Hunting and shooting on your own property.

BC Parks maps 6 parks and protected areas (Evans Lake Ecological Reserve; Goat Range Park, a provincial park; Kokanee Glacier Park, a provincial park; Rosebery Park, a provincial park; and 2 more) reaching into Area H, over 24% of its land. Recreation Sites and Trails BC lists 17 sites there. A report names the nearest park and recreation site within 25 km of a lot. Parks and recreation sites in BC, by place.

Check one lot: is there a mineral claim? · power lines nearby? · pipelines nearby? · a gravel pit nearby? · a landfill or plant nearby? · logging planned nearby? · cattle on open range? · is there a trapline? · can I hunt on it? · a park nearby? · Crown land next door?

Source: Mineral, placer and coal tenures, Mineral Titles Branch (Open Government Licence – British Columbia); 2021 census subdivision boundaries, Statistics Canada (Statistics Canada Open Licence).

Census figures are from 2021; the next census results start in 2027. Area boundaries are Statistics Canada's census subdivisions, which follow municipal and electoral area lines. The places named at the top are the official place names in the area (BC Geographical Names) with the most 2021 homes nearer them than any other name, on ISED's home points: our reading.

Source: Census of Population 2021, Statistics Canada (Statistics Canada Open Licence); BC Geographical Names, Province of BC (Open Government Licence – British Columbia); Pseudo-Household Demographic Distribution (2021), Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (Open Government Licence – Canada).