Fernie is part of the South East Fire Centre region.
As of Wednesday, August 12, 2026:
- There are no wildfires in or around the Fernie area. Fernie welcomes visitors.
- As of August 10th, off-road vehicle use for recreational purposes has been temporarily banned as a wildfire prevention and mitigation tactic. More Details
- The sky is seeing much improvement since the last few days, and the smoke drifting in from other regions of BC and the USA has mostly cleared. See below for air quality details. Fernie regularly has better air quality than area monitors rate.
- View daily image gallery below and view local webcams.
- Campfires are banned.
- The Province of BC declared a state of emergency on August 8 to support the wildfire situation in the Okanagan. The Okanagan is ~ 8 hour drive from Fernie.
- A State of Provincial Emergency (SOPE) declaration enables emergency services and first responders to access the tools and resources required to protect communities and support the emergency response.
- There are no province-wide travel restrictions in place, but government is asking everyone to avoid non-essential travel to Summerland, Penticton, and other communities under evacuation orders and alerts. This will help people and emergency crews on the move.
- Those with flexible travel plans are encouraged to explore alternative destinations, such as Fernie and the Kootenays, throughout British Columbia, as most regions remain open and ready to welcome visitors where it is safe and appropriate to do so.
Fernie Sky Watch - Scroll to Show Daily Images
Latest images of Fernie's sky and visibility. Scroll to see the differences on a daily basis. Updates can be made more than once a day as the sky improves again.
August 12, 2026 at 9:00 am looking W.
August 11, 2026 at 5:10pm looking North
August 10, 2026 at 8:00 am looking SW.
Fernie Sky at 8:30am August 9, 2026
Fernie sky August 8, 2026 at 1:30pm
August 7, 2026 at 9:00 am looking N/NW
Fernie sky August 6, 2026
Fernie sky August 5, 2026 at 9:45am looking South
Fernie sky August 4, 2026
Fernie sky on August 3, 2026
What to do if you see signs of a new wildfire? Call!
To report a fire or smoke plume, call *5555 or 1-800-663-5555
Tracking smoke and prevailing winds.
Current, live map tracking smoke over a forecasted period - FireSmoke.ca
What is the current air quality like around Fernie?
Due to the proximity of any BC, AB or USA wildfires and the prevailing winds Fernie can experience a smoky sky. There are three unique websites providing air quality monitoring data. Air quality can easily change within a single day.
For additional local 'on-the-ground' information please call the Fernie Visitor Centre (open daily 9am - 5pm in summer) at 778-519-0748.
Additional Important Links
- BC Map showing locations of wildfires - Fernie is in the South East region close to the Alberta & USA border.
- Regional wildfires and alerts - Regional District of East Kootenay main website
- BC campfires & fireworks ban information
- Local real time webcams
- Drive BC - BC Highway & Road Reports - Fernie is located on Highway 3
- Provincial Emergency Info - Current Evacuation Orders & Alerts
- Alberta Wildfires
- In case of emergency
Local radio stations
- The Drive/Rewind Radio 102.9 FM (Fernie/Cranbrook)
- B104/The Wild 104.7 FM (Fernie/Cranbrook)
- Summit/2DayFM 107.9 FM (Cranbrook)
- CBC Radio 97.7 FM (Kelowna)
Past Summer Conditions
The previous seven summers saw no forest wildfire activity in our immediate area. Fernie can experience periodic smokey skies, primarily between late July and early September due to winds pushing smoke in from wildfires far away.
In BC, local community and regional governments lead the initial response to emergencies in communities.
How to Prepare in Case of Wildfire
Wildfire Preparedness - What To Do. In BC, local community and regional governments lead the initial response to emergencies in communities.
