UPDATE: 1.2-ha Arrow Lakes wildfire extinguished near Vernon-Slocan Highway
Published 4:00 pm Thursday, July 23, 2026
A wildfire that burned for a week since Thursday, July 16, near the Vernon-Slocan Highway and Arrow Lakes community of Needles has been extinguished by provincial wildland crews, BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) reports.
The Barnes Creek fire, indicated as lightning-caused following a thunderstorm Wednesday night, July 15, had scorched an area about half the size of a football field by 4 p.m. Thursday.
It was burning about 1.5 kilometres east of Highway 6 and five kilometres west of Whatshan Lake, as well as about 10 km northwest of Needles.
By 9 a.m. Friday, July 17, BCWS said it had deployed a helicopter and half-dozen firefighters to battle the blaze, which grew to 1.2 hectares — larger than a rugby pitch.
As of late Sunday afternoon, July 19, BCWS reported that the fire was under control as crews continued battling the flames.
By this Thursday, July 23, firefighters had doused the Barnes Creek fire completely.
For updates on other wildfires in the Southeast Fire Centre, visit wildfiresituation.nrs.gov.bc.ca/map.
