BC emergency alerts
This is general information only. Emergency Info BC is your source for active emergency information.
BC emergency alerts are broadcast on TV, radio, and cell phones to provide urgent public safety information during life-threatening emergencies.
These alerts must meet 3 criteria before being issued:
- There is a threat to human life
- The threat is immediate
- There are recommended actions that may save lives
Who can send an emergency alert?
Emergency alerts are issued by different agencies depending on the emergency.
- The Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR) can issue emergency alerts at the request of a Local Government, First Nation partner agency or the Province during:
- high-risk flood and wildfire evacuations
- extreme heat emergencies
- tsunami warnings
- The BC RCMP, independently or at the request of local police, can issue emergency alerts during:
- Amber Alerts, and
- during civil emergencies, including active shooter events
- Environment and Climate Change Canada can issue emergency alerts during severe weather events, including but not limited to:
- tornadoes
- thunderstorms
- storm surges
These agencies use the Alert Ready system to issue emergency alerts.
What to do
Simple steps to follow if you receive an emergency alert.
How alerts work
Learn how the alerting system works and troubleshoot issues.
Testing the system
What to expect during emergency alert system tests.
Contact
During an emergency, check with your local authority for more information or visit Emergency Info BC. For non-emergency questions, contact EMCR. The Alert Ready site provides additional information.
Operational information, templates and guidance for how to request an alert are available on local government emergency operations page and Indigenous communities emergency operations page.
