The B.C. government has announced the wildfire-driven state of emergency will end at midnight on Friday.
It was first declared on July 7 and was extended four times over the nine weeks that followed.
The government says while the “extraordinary powers of the provincial state of emergency are no longer required,” the wildfire season is far from over.
MAP: Location of wildfires burning around B.C.
Crews will still be fighting the fires, and resources will be directed to keep the fires under control and extinguish them.
The provincial state of emergency is an extraordinary measure taken to ensure public safety and the co-ordinated response to this summer’s wildfire season, which saw more hectares burned than at any other time in the province’s history.
With cooler weather expected, the province is now in a position to allow the state of emergency to expire and return to a standard emergency response.
As of Friday morning, 153 wildfires are burning in B.C., with 11 evacuation orders affecting approximately 3,152 people, plus 23 evacuation alerts affecting approximately 5,762 people. During this wildfire season, approximately 65,000 people were evacuated from their homes.
The Canadian Forces will also be demobilizing personnel who have been assisting with response efforts this season.
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