Predictive Services

BCWS issues seasonal outlooks three times a year for spring, summer and fall. They are issued in the second weeks of April, June and September. View the latest seasonal outlook.

BCWS also publishes annual wildfire season summaries. View the latest and historical season summaries.

See the Weather maps page for daily weather maps including precipitation, relative humidity, temperature and wind speed. These maps are updated daily and are representative of weather factors over the past 24 hours. 

See the Fire danger page for a daily fire danger rating map. 

View an interactive map of the approximately 260 weather stations that form the B.C. Fire Weather Network.

Drought can be defined a number of ways. Drought from a hydrological perspective refers to the amount of water flowing through streams or held in storage basins. Drought from an agricultural perspective refers to how much moisture is in the soils and plants. From a wildfire perspective, drought refers to the amount of moisture that is in combustible organics on the forest floor. These measures of drought do not always align, and they are measured using different indicators.

Hydrological drought is measured and displayed on the B.C. Drought Information Portal (the Drought Map).

The drought that is most critical to wildfire management agencies is the drought in our forest fuels, as indicated by the Fire Weather Index fuel moisture codes, in particular the Drought Code (DC). The DC is a numeric rating of the average moisture content of deep, compact organic layers of the forest floor and large woody debris. This code is a useful indicator of the effects of seasonal drought on forest fuels and the amount of smouldering that may occur in deep duff layers and within large logs.

Method 1: Download CSV files from the BCWS DataMart here: https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/ftp/HPR/external/!publish/BCWS_DATA_MART/

Method 2: Access the data programmatically using an Application Programming Interface (API).

This document (PDF, 886KB) provides details on how to access data using the BCWS DataMart and API options, as well as how data are formatted.

View a comprehensive map of the approximately 260 weather stations that make up the B.C. Fire Weather Network.

Another method to view weather station data is through the BC Wildfire Service app. Here’s how:

• Download the app from the App Store or Google Play, or view the app on a web browser
• Navigate to the interactive map
• Click the All Layers button (top right of the screen), ensure the BC Wildfire Active Weather Stations layer is selected
• Left click inside the map, the nearest active weather station will pop up
• Click on the weather station name, then click on Full Details to view hourly and daily indices as well as historical data for this weather station
• Click the Fire Danger Class button (within the Full Details view) to see danger class values for all weather stations. You can also go directly to the Fire Weather Danger Class Report webpage to view this information.

The PSU are continuously exploring the power of data science and technological advancements such as artificial intelligence (AI) to better predict and understand wildfire behaviour to support operational decision-makers.

The PSU are using remote sensing tools with machine learning capabilities to classify multi-spectral satellite imagery. This imagery is then used to update the perimeters of active wildfires.

Through a partnership with the University of British Columbia Okanagan, our Research and Innovation business area are involved in a project aimed at improving wildfire detection and monitoring. The project is using high vantage cameras that feature 5G technology to improve situational awareness and response decision making. Research is underway to integrate machine learning and AI algorithms to aid in earlier smoke detection in this developing camera network. Learn more about the provincial camera network: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025FOR0024-000562 

A key consideration for the use of AI is the availability of robust training data. Not all aspects of wildfire management are well documented with digital data. In these situations, investments must be made in collecting digital data before it is even possible to train and use AI.

We continue to enhance our predictive services technology, including the use of AI, one of the objectives identified by the Premier’s Expert Task Force on Emergencies. It takes the collaboration of trusted tools and technologies as well as an openness to exploring and safely integrating emerging advancements. Overall, the strategy remains the same: to manage wildfires and protect communities in the most effective way possible while prioritizing the safety of our personnel.

Remote sensing is the science of capturing information about the earth’s surface using reflected or emitted energy collected by sensors mounted on satellites, aircraft or drones. The BCWS is integrating remote sensing into wildfire detection and perimeter mapping.

Detecting wildfires early is critical for success, and BCWS remains at the forefront of investigating advanced detection methods to understand their applicability to the B.C. land base. As technology progresses, detection based on remote sensing platforms such as Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems and satellites will play a larger role in our processes.

The PSU are using remote sensing tools with machine learning capabilities to classify multi-spectral satellite imagery and use this data to update the perimeters of active wildfires. Using satellite imagery and machine learning algorithms developed by PSU data scientists to map fire perimeters improves situational awareness and personnel safety, as well as freeing up aircraft to be used in suppression. 

The PSU are supporting WildFireSat, the first government-owned satellite mission specifically designed to monitor all active wildland fires across the country on a daily basis. Set to launch in 2029, the mission is being tailored to the needs of wildland fire management in Canada. It will also support wildfire monitoring internationally. 

Wildfire management takes the collaboration of trusted tools and technologies as well as an openness to exploring and safely integrating emerging advancements. Overall, the strategy remains the same: to manage wildfires and protect communities in the most effective way possible while prioritizing the safety of our personnel.

BCWS is a world leader in wildfire predictive services, leveraging ground-breaking technology and the expertise and experience of our highly trained staff.

During the 2024 wildfire season, we piloted enhanced wildfire predictive technology. We now have a long-term contract providing industry-leading wildfire decision support tools and expertise to our staff.

These systems include automatic modelling for all new fire starts. These models are continuously updated each day that a fire remains Out of Control or Being Held. These systems also enable trained fire behaviour analysts to modify model inputs and parameters to better align predictions with observed fire behaviour.

We continue to train and build our capacity around new predictive technologies. This work ensures BCWS staff have the knowledge and experience needed to translate the outputs of these technologies into sound operational decision-making.

When B.C. faces extremely hot and dry conditions, the fuels and fire environment are more receptive to new fire starts caused by lightning strikes.  

In moist conditions, a lightning strike may cause ignition but not immediately grow into a fire. The heat can simmer underground for several days or weeks. As fuels dry out and the weather heats up, the simmering heat can flare up to become a full-fledged wildfire. These are called holdover fires. It is for this reason we continue to monitor areas after a lightning system has moved through.

BCWS has a robust protocol to discover new lightning starts and holdover fires:

• We use predictive lightning products to strategically place firefighters and aircraft based on the forecasted storm path and the intensity of the storm
• We monitor real-time lightning maps
  • We subscribe to Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Canadian Lightning Detection Network (CLDN). This instantaneous and constant feed of lightning data provides information on the location, time, amperage and polarity of each lightning strike. We compare these data with radar and our weather network to see if nearby stations recorded any rainfall. We typically investigate positively charged lightning strikes with no accompanying precipitation. Positive strikes typically have the highest amperage and likelihood of sparking new fires.

• We conduct air and/or ground patrols in known lightning pathways to look for smoke or heat
  • These patrols are timed for when smoke or heat from the strike are likely to be found
  • Ground patrols focus on smoke plumes and can be done by staff from areas with good visibility of the areas of concern
  • Air patrols look for smoke plumes and may also use thermal imaging to locate heat signatures in the forest. Thermal imaging can be undertaken by hand-held devices on the ground, devices used by BCWS staff in rotary- or fixed-wing aircraft and by commercial equipment installed on fixed-wing aircraft, satellites or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)/drones.

The public is also a very valuable resource, often helping report lightning strikes and resulting fires during hot and dry spells.

An overwintering fire is a fire that ignites in one fire season and continues to burn underground throughout the winter. These fires may show signs of smoke or flame in the spring of the following year, once spring conditions allow the fire to flare up above ground.

Several factors contribute to the existence of overwintering fires. Factors include the existence of drought, the type and condition of forest fuels and amounts of rain and snow over the fall and winter.

To plan and prepare to respond to overwintering fires, we map the locations of potential overwintering fires. We do so using satellite and aircraft-based remote sensing techniques. However, these technologies can struggle to detect fires smouldering underground. This is especially challenging with frozen and snow-covered ground.

To address this technological limitation, we assume overwintering fires could exist within the perimeter of any wildfire that was not fully extinguished in the previous season. We identify segments of these fire perimeters that could pose the highest wildfire risk. This includes areas along the edges of fire perimeters, where unburnt fuels have the potential to ignite and prompt fire growth. We also focus on areas near values including communities, infrastructure and critical habitats.

We then focus remote sensing and aerial/ground patrol efforts in these areas. The aim is to ensure the earliest detection of overwintering fires in high-priority locations. 

In addition to monitoring and sharing information on overwintering fires, we manage them when it is safe to do. We establish fire guards where needed, to protect people and infrastructure. We engage in suppression measures, should values be imminently threatened.

The PSU are involved in overwintering fire response. During the 2025 wildfire season, the PSU worked with the Prince George Fire Centre on fuel sampling and the collection and analysis of remote sensing and thermal imaging data.

See Overwintering fires (BCWS blog) and BC Wildfire Service Overwintering Fire Response (YouTube) for more information.