Know Before You Travel in British Columbia

On this page you will find links to updates about wildfires, environmental hazards, driving updates and park/recreational resources to help you plan a fun and informed trip to British Columbia, Canada.

Visitors should always plan ahead and regularly monitor official information sources (detailed below), including the BC Wildfire Service and DriveBC. As well, travellers are encouraged to check in with the accommodation operators and the local Visitor Centre in the communities they will be visiting for real-time, on-the-ground updates.

IMPORTANT UPDATES

• Visitors are encouraged to download and allow notifications from Alertable, an emergency notification app with customizable settings, to receive the latest local alerts, such as road closures and evacuation information, straight to your mobile device.
  
• Winter tires are required on most designated highways in British Columbia from October 1 to March 31.  For select highways, including mountain passes and rural routes in high snowfall areas, the date is extended until April 30 to account for early spring snowfall. These highways are marked with regulatory signs.  ShiftintoWinter.ca
  
• CHECK WEATHER CONDITIONS: British Columbia’s mountainous terrain means weather conditions can change rapidly within relatively short distances, and snowfall can happen any month in the higher-elevation mountain passes. Before heading out on the road, always check the current weather conditions along your planned journey. Drive for the conditions. If the weather is bad (i.e. snowfall warning along the Coquihalla), delay your drive until the weather and road conditions improve, or consider an alternate route or a different mode of transportation.

SAFETY ADVICE

CAMPFIRES: Parts of British Columbia are experiencing drought conditions, so please check out the latest fire bans and restrictions.

WILDFIRES:  Wildfires of Note – To report a wildfire (dial *5555 on a cell phone or call toll free 1-800-663-5555). During the summer, stretches of hot, dry weather can lead to increased wildfire risk throughout the province. Make sure you take the necessary steps to prevent and report wildfires.

Wildfire safety and prevention is all our responsibilities as climate change is causing wildfires to be bigger, hotter, and more frequent learn how to be wildfire ready click here.

SMOKE CONDITIONS: Smoke conditions across the province can change hourly. Check the Air Quality Health Index for real-time updates from across British Columbia.

HIGHWAY CLOSURES AND CONSTRUCTION: Check Drive BC for an up-to-date list of the latest road closures, events and advisories.

EMERGENCY INFO: Please visit Emergency Info BC for updated details on current emergencies including evacuation orders and alerts such as heat, wildfires and floods.

RESPECTFUL BEHAVIOUR

PLEASE CAMP RESPONSIBLY. FOLLOW THE CAMPER’S CODE: The Camper’s Code has 9 rules that are really easy to follow. When all campers follow them, these good things happen:

• Camping continues to be enjoyable for all
• Nature remains pristine and beautiful
• People camping in the same area become friends
• Animals stay wild and free

Camper’s Code take the pledge.

RECREATE RESPONSIBLY: If you like to play outdoors, adventure outdoors, and breathe in the beauty of the outdoors, it’s your responsibility—and the responsibility of every single human recreating outdoors—to do so responsibly all of the time. Outdoor recreation etiquette the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC.

ADVENTURE SMART: Heading outdoors? Leave a trip plan. AdventureSmart is a national program dedicated to encouraging Canadians and visitors to Canada to “Get informed and go outdoors”. AdventureSmart combines online and on-site awareness with targeted outreach in order to reduce the number and severity of Search and Rescue Incidents.

KEY TRAVEL RESOURCES

Check BC Wildfire Service for wildfires of note, fire bans and restrictions.

• Interactive Maps and News Releases BC Government Wildfire Status
  and Twitter: @BCGovFireInfo
• Air Quality Health Index

Check DriveBC.ca for major road events such as delays, closures, and suggested detours:

• DriveBC.ca
• Highway Webcams
• ShiftintoWinter.ca
• Winter Driving – Province of BC
• Twitter: @DriveBC

River Forecast Centre analyses snowpack, assesses seasonal water supply and flood risk, and predicts flows in British Columbia’s rivers and streams:

• Flood Warnings and Advisories

PARKS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATED CAMPGROUNDS

• BC Provincial Parks – Wildfire notices
• BC Provincial Parks – Flooding / Freshet notices
• Recreation Sites and Trails BC.ca
• Recreation Sites & Trails closures

IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS

• Report Wildfire or Irresponsible Behaviour 1-800-663-5555 or (*5555 from a cell phone)
• Evacuees and Reception Centres call: Emergency Info BC at: 1-800-585-9559.
• BC Wildfire Information Line 1-888-336-7378
• ESS Evacuees Information 1-800-585-9559
• Canadian Red Cross Evacuees Reunification 1-800-863-6582
• Emergency Coordination Centre 1-800-663-3456

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO – TRAVEL RESOURCES

• Destination BC – https://www.hellobc.com/know-before-you-go
• Thompson Okanagan – https://www.thompsonokanagan.com/know-before-you-go
• Kootenay Rockies Tourism – Know Before You Go – Kootenay Rockies
• Cariboo Chilcotin Coast – https://landwithoutlimits.com/plan-your-adventure/know-before-you-go/