B.C. releases app tracking real-time information on wildfires

The B.C. government released an app on Tuesday to help residents around the province get up-to-date information on wildfires this year.

The app also contains an interactive map that users can customize to display a variety of data, including current fire danger ratings, active fires, evacuation alerts and orders, restrictions and B.C. park and recreation site closures.

Scientists within the federal government are predicting this wildfire season could be “well above average” across the country, with an elevated fire risk starting in June.

Parts of B.C. are still recovering from the record-setting 2018 wildfire season when hundreds of fires burned more than 1.3 million hectares of land. The season broke the record held by the one just before it, in 2017.

The new B.C. wildfire app, which is now available for download on Android and Apple devices, will also provide users with the latest news and advisories, and users can customize their view to only display information within a 50-kilometre radius of their current location.

Users will also be able to report wildfires and irresponsible behaviour that could start a wildfire.