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Squamish-Lillooet B fire, May 2018 Squamish-Lillooet B, Squamish-Lillooet C

Out · last detection 24 Aug 2018, 20:18 UTC

The fire started on 2 May 2018 in Squamish-Lillooet B, Canada, and satellites saw it burning for 115 days. Canada’s CWFIS (Natural Resources Canada) mapped an official burnt perimeter of 1,345 hectares from satellite imagery, spread across 2 census subdivisions.

It is the 287th largest in British Columbia since 2016 (of 343 with a page). Number 181 in Canada in 2018, of 212.

Burnt area
1,345ha
official perimeter (CWFIS)
Duration
115days
2 May 2018 – 24 Aug 2018
Census subdivisions hit
2
municipalities
Started on
2 May
2018
Heat detections
250
in a single hotspot: 97 MW
Danger at start
1
Very low · FWI index
Average daily power
112MW
detected power per day, on average

Where it burned

HOTSPOTS BY DAY 2 May24 Aug
24 Aug 2018

How it evolved, day by day

23 May 2018 · 12 MW · 2 24 May 2018 · 68 MW · 21 25 May 2018 · 112 MW · 28 26 May 2018 · 10 MW · 9 27 May 2018 · 6 MW · 1 28 May 2018 · 1 MW · 1 10 Aug 2018 · 316 MW · 19 11 Aug 2018 · 166 MW · 30 15 Aug 2018 · 2 MW · 2 16 Aug 2018 · 1 MW · 1 19 Aug 2018 · 510 MW · 10 20 Aug 2018 · 169 MW · 32 21 Aug 2018 · 36 MW · 19 22 Aug 2018 · 49 MW · 18 23 Aug 2018 · 329 MW · 56 24 Aug 2018 · 5 MW · 1
23 May 27 May 19 Aug

Fire radiative power detected each day, in megawatts, and number of hotspots. The magenta bar marks the peak day.

The weather it burned in

30°high
67km/h · peak gust
16%lowest humidity

It had gone 2 days without rain (1 mm or more) when it started. Rain came after the fire: 4.4 mm on 25 Aug.

This area had burned before

No earlier perimeters overlap this fire since 2016, when the satellite record begins.

How big is it?

10 km
It burned the equivalent of 0.8% of the area of London (13 km² against 1,583 km²).

London boundary: geoBoundaries · Office for National Statistics (Open Government Licence v3.0).

This compares size, not location: both shapes are at the same scale, north up, centred on each other.

What happened to each census subdivision

  1. Squamish-Lillooet B where it started
    1,291 ha reached on 24 May
    0.4 %
  2. 49 ha reached on 23 May
    0.0 %

Burnt area inside each census subdivision, from crossing the official perimeter with administrative boundaries. The distance runs from the point marking the centre of each area to the nearest fire: staying a kilometre away does not mean it reached the houses.

People and buildings inside the perimeter

GHSL 2020
Built-up area< 0.1 ha
Residents< 20

Inside the perimeter there was no noticeable built-up land and almost nobody lived there (GHSL 2020, satellite-based estimate).

This is an estimate on 100 m cells, made from satellite imagery and census data: it does not mean that homes burned or that anyone was harmed. The perimeter also contains land that never burned.

Source: Global Human Settlement Layer (GHS-BUILT-S and GHS-POP R2023A), European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC), © European Union, CC BY 4.0. Sum inside the perimeter computed by WorldFires. human-settlement.emergency.copernicus.eu

The weather day by day

ECMWF ERA5 reanalysis at the fire location, the standard reference for past weather, and the Canadian Fire Weather Index (the same system Copernicus uses), computed by WorldFires from that data. Days after the fire run until the first rain.

Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0) · Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5)

Day High Min. humidity Peak gust Rain Danger (FWI)
2 May 14.8 °C 44 % 28 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
3 May 12.7 °C 62 % 47 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 2
4 May 10.8 °C 68 % 35 km/h 0.2 mm Very low 2
5 May 14.6 °C 52 % 26 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 2
6 May 17.2 °C 43 % 23 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 3
7 May 13.6 °C 55 % 32 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 4
8 May 18.8 °C 32 % 35 km/h 0.1 mm Very low 5
9 May 12.5 °C 58 % 60 km/h 7.5 mm Very low 0
10 May 10.7 °C 46 % 32 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
11 May 16.9 °C 38 % 40 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 2
12 May 19.6 °C 41 % 32 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 3
13 May 21.1 °C 24 % 28 km/h 0.0 mm Low 7
14 May 22.9 °C 25 % 32 km/h 0.0 mm Low 9
15 May 20.5 °C 35 % 30 km/h 0.0 mm Low 9
16 May 18.2 °C 43 % 28 km/h 0.0 mm Low 8
17 May 15.8 °C 47 % 41 km/h 0.0 mm Low 7
18 May 17.5 °C 53 % 30 km/h 0.6 mm Low 7
19 May 18.1 °C 57 % 36 km/h 8.6 mm Very low 4
20 May 15.8 °C 52 % 35 km/h 1.9 mm Very low 0
21 May 19.9 °C 37 % 25 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
22 May 24.2 °C 24 % 29 km/h 0.0 mm Low 8
23 May 23.9 °C 21 % 41 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 13
24 May 20.4 °C 42 % 44 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 13
25 May 17.4 °C 45 % 55 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 13
26 May 17.3 °C 44 % 62 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 13
27 May 19.8 °C 42 % 50 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 14
28 May 17.6 °C 37 % 50 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 15
29 May 12.8 °C 67 % 34 km/h 4.8 mm Very low 1
30 May 13.3 °C 39 % 30 km/h 2.2 mm Very low 0
31 May 13.1 °C 43 % 29 km/h 0.1 mm Very low 2
1 Jun 12.7 °C 50 % 54 km/h 0.1 mm Low 6
2 Jun 15.6 °C 46 % 42 km/h 0.6 mm Low 7
3 Jun 12.8 °C 60 % 52 km/h 4.9 mm Very low 4
4 Jun 11.3 °C 46 % 50 km/h 2.1 mm Very low 0
5 Jun 10.8 °C 60 % 52 km/h 2.4 mm Very low 2
6 Jun 16.4 °C 51 % 50 km/h 1.7 mm Very low 1
7 Jun 15.9 °C 54 % 60 km/h 0.5 mm Very low 3
8 Jun 10.7 °C 85 % 67 km/h 12.2 mm Very low 0
9 Jun 11.6 °C 51 % 43 km/h 4.7 mm Very low 0
10 Jun 11.2 °C 48 % 45 km/h 0.3 mm Very low 0
11 Jun 13.4 °C 39 % 54 km/h 0.2 mm Very low 1
12 Jun 13.3 °C 50 % 46 km/h 0.9 mm Very low 3
13 Jun 11.6 °C 76 % 38 km/h 7.5 mm Very low 0
14 Jun 14.5 °C 54 % 36 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
15 Jun 15.9 °C 63 % 44 km/h 7.6 mm Very low 0
16 Jun 23.0 °C 28 % 54 km/h 0.3 mm Very low 1
17 Jun 24.5 °C 26 % 33 km/h 0.0 mm Low 6
18 Jun 27.7 °C 23 % 36 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 13
19 Jun 27.7 °C 31 % 27 km/h 0.5 mm Moderate 14
20 Jun 24.4 °C 48 % 34 km/h 3.6 mm Low 8
21 Jun 21.4 °C 53 % 43 km/h 0.2 mm Very low 2
22 Jun 16.4 °C 66 % 40 km/h 3.1 mm Very low 2
23 Jun 21.0 °C 47 % 34 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 2
24 Jun 20.7 °C 47 % 65 km/h 4.9 mm Low 7
25 Jun 13.0 °C 60 % 54 km/h 5.6 mm Very low 0
26 Jun 17.0 °C 36 % 52 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 2
27 Jun 18.2 °C 40 % 32 km/h 0.0 mm Low 5
28 Jun 15.3 °C 58 % 36 km/h 0.0 mm Low 6
29 Jun 15.5 °C 65 % 38 km/h 1.4 mm Low 6
30 Jun 14.9 °C 68 % 45 km/h 1.4 mm Very low 2
1 Jul 15.8 °C 48 % 59 km/h 0.8 mm Very low 4
2 Jul 15.6 °C 43 % 41 km/h 3.1 mm Very low 1
3 Jul 18.7 °C 47 % 27 km/h 1.0 mm Very low 2
4 Jul 20.6 °C 49 % 35 km/h 0.7 mm Low 6
5 Jul 23.2 °C 42 % 42 km/h 0.8 mm Very low 5
6 Jul 19.6 °C 49 % 60 km/h 2.1 mm Low 8
7 Jul 16.3 °C 55 % 38 km/h 1.2 mm Very low 2
8 Jul 20.6 °C 36 % 28 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 4
9 Jul 22.0 °C 43 % 37 km/h 1.8 mm Low 10
10 Jul 18.1 °C 60 % 27 km/h 0.5 mm Very low 1
11 Jul 22.2 °C 42 % 27 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 5
12 Jul 24.7 °C 40 % 41 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 12
13 Jul 24.1 °C 37 % 56 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 15
14 Jul 24.6 °C 22 % 32 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 16
15 Jul 27.1 °C 23 % 36 km/h 0.0 mm High 23
16 Jul 29.1 °C 26 % 26 km/h 0.0 mm High 23
17 Jul 27.1 °C 33 % 43 km/h 0.4 mm High 25
18 Jul 25.3 °C 37 % 49 km/h 0.0 mm High 23
19 Jul 21.4 °C 38 % 52 km/h 0.0 mm High 23
20 Jul 17.6 °C 47 % 35 km/h 1.8 mm Low 6
21 Jul 18.2 °C 56 % 28 km/h 0.7 mm Very low 4
22 Jul 23.1 °C 33 % 23 km/h 0.3 mm Low 9
23 Jul 22.9 °C 39 % 26 km/h 0.3 mm Moderate 12
24 Jul 25.7 °C 29 % 23 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 18
25 Jul 26.0 °C 31 % 23 km/h 0.0 mm High 22
26 Jul 27.1 °C 24 % 23 km/h 0.0 mm High 25
27 Jul 27.7 °C 19 % 32 km/h 0.0 mm High 31
28 Jul 28.4 °C 18 % 23 km/h 0.0 mm High 30
29 Jul 30.5 °C 16 % 26 km/h 0.0 mm High 34
30 Jul 29.9 °C 21 % 44 km/h 0.0 mm Very high 40
31 Jul 28.3 °C 29 % 56 km/h 0.0 mm Very high 41
1 Aug 23.9 °C 34 % 55 km/h 0.5 mm High 32
2 Aug 20.5 °C 51 % 45 km/h 0.6 mm Moderate 19
3 Aug 20.4 °C 47 % 37 km/h 0.1 mm Moderate 19
4 Aug 21.0 °C 51 % 21 km/h 1.2 mm Moderate 16
5 Aug 25.5 °C 30 % 23 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 14
6 Aug 26.5 °C 28 % 44 km/h 0.0 mm High 31
7 Aug 28.2 °C 27 % 30 km/h 0.0 mm High 29
8 Aug 29.8 °C 25 % 45 km/h 0.0 mm High 34
9 Aug 29.8 °C 24 % 50 km/h 0.0 mm High 37
10 Aug 30.2 °C 19 % 47 km/h 0.0 mm Very high 40
11 Aug 19.6 °C 62 % 37 km/h 18.5 mm High 22
12 Aug 20.2 °C 47 % 30 km/h 1.7 mm Very low 1
13 Aug 23.0 °C 39 % 24 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 4
14 Aug 24.7 °C 42 % 37 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 13
15 Aug 24.8 °C 31 % 42 km/h 0.0 mm High 22
16 Aug 24.8 °C 37 % 42 km/h 0.0 mm High 23
17 Aug 22.9 °C 42 % 28 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 20
18 Aug 22.1 °C 37 % 22 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 20
19 Aug 22.1 °C 36 % 32 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 20
20 Aug 24.9 °C 25 % 39 km/h 0.0 mm High 25
21 Aug 27.1 °C 23 % 22 km/h 0.0 mm High 25
22 Aug 23.9 °C 34 % 41 km/h 0.0 mm High 29
23 Aug 18.1 °C 54 % 42 km/h 1.4 mm High 23
24 Aug 18.0 °C 45 % 30 km/h 0.0 mm Low 8
25 Aug after 13.2 °C 75 % 25 km/h 4.4 mm Very low 0

Its twins: fires that started in the same weather

It started with an FWI of 0.7, a minimum humidity of 44% and 2 days without rain. Fires in the area that started in weather like this since 2017: 20.

FWI at the start 0.7
Minimum humidity 44 %
Days without rain 2
this fire chosen twins rest of the area
Almost identicalSimilar

Outlines of the closest twins

Squamish-Lillooet A fire, April 2023
8,268 ha 157 days FWI 0.3 Min. humidity 42 % 44 km away, in 2023

First rain (1 mm or more) after it ended: 1.7 mm on 18 Sept.

What happened to them

61 days
median duration
2,736 ha
median area
85 %
went past 1,000 ha
5.4 mm
rain at the end (median; 19 of 20 had it)

It stayed below its twins: 1,345 ha against a median of 2,736 ha. It lasted 115 days, against 61 days.

In 1 of 20, not even 1 mm fell in the ten days after the end: they went out without rain. In the rest, the first rainy day brought a median of 5.4 mm.

This is a bank of analogues: it shows what usually happens, not what will happen. With fewer than 15 twins we give no figures. How we calculate it

How it ended

4.4 mmfirst rain
25 Augthe day after it ended
67km/h · max. gust

It was considered over on 24 Aug, and on 25 Aug 4.4 mm fell. We do not know whether the rain or the firefighters put it out. Twins with rain when they ended: 19 of 20, with a median of 5.4 mm.

Weather on this page: Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0) · Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5)

How a twin is chosen

  • Same area: fires that have already ended, less than 250 km from this one, since 2017.
  • Same start: we compare the FWI on the first day, the minimum humidity that day and the run of days without rain before it. The slider sets how much they may differ.
  • Only pages with final weather data (ERA5 reanalysis) calculated in the same way as this fire’s; agricultural and grass burns and pages with data under review are left out.
  • Fires burning at the same time as this one (a week before or after) are left out: they share the same spell of weather and do not count as a precedent.
  • They are sorted by similarity, and the outlines of the first five are drawn.

How we calculate it

Before and after, from space

Drag the line to compare the same ground before the fire and after it.

Before · 25 Apr 2018
After · 31 Aug 2018

If the day is cloudy, change the date: each satellite passes once a day. In false colour the burnt ground looks brown or red.

Detections table · 250Every satellite heat detection, one by one, with time, satellite, power and coordinates.
⬇ Download CSV Times in UTC. Each detection is a 375 m pixel: a large fire yields hundreds per pass.
Date and timeSatelliteFRP (MW)LatLon

Other fires nearby

All fires in Canada

Frequently asked questions

How long did the Squamish-Lillooet B fire last?
According to the heat detections seen by satellite inside the perimeter, it burned from 2 May 2018 to 24 August 2018 (115 days). The perimeter dates it from 2 May 2018 to 23 August 2018.
How much area did it burn?
The official perimeter mapped by Canada’s CWFIS (Natural Resources Canada) is 1,345 hectares (13.4 km²). Other tallies, such as those of provincial agencies, may give slightly different figures.
Which census subdivisions burned?
The fire entered 2 census subdivisions: Squamish-Lillooet B (1,291 ha, 0.4 %); Squamish-Lillooet C (49 ha, 0.0 %).
What was the weather like?
During the fire the temperature reached 30.5 °C, humidity dropped to 16 % and gusts hit 67 km/h. The fire danger index (FWI) reached 41, class Very high.
Where does this data come from?
From the official burnt perimeter of Canada’s CWFIS (NBAC, Natural Resources Canada) or, for the current season and until NBAC publishes it, the one rebuilt by GWIS (Copernicus); from NASA FIRMS VIIRS hotspots; and from the administrative boundaries of Canada. It is not an official report.
How did the fires that started in similar weather in this area end?
Fires less than 250 km away that started since 2017 with a similar FWI, humidity and dry spell: 20. Their median duration was 61 days and their median area 2,736 ha; 85 % went past 1,000 ha. In 1 of 20, not even 1 mm fell in the ten days after the end: they went out without rain. In the rest, the first rainy day brought a median of 5.4 mm.

Where to verify it

A satellite detection is not an official report. Final figures and the fire’s status are published by each country’s emergency service.

Emergency number: 911 · Emergency number and official warnings

Satellite cross-check

History of this page Changes in area, dates, name, official record or merged pages, compared every night since 24 October 2026.

Does something look wrong on this page?

This page is built from satellite data and official records, and it sometimes gets things wrong: the wrong dates, the wrong town, two fires merged into one, or something that was not a wildfire at all. If you know this fire first-hand (you live nearby, saw it, fought it or reported on it), tell us what really happened and we will check it.

Report an error
What do you think is wrong?

We will only use your email to reply about this report. Privacy. This is not an emergency service: if there is a fire now, call 911.

How we know this
  • Perimeter: NBAC (Natural Resources Canada), official.
  • Dates adjusted with the VIIRS detections inside the perimeter, which said 2 May 2018 to 23 August 2018. 250 Suomi-NPP VIIRS detections on those dates.
  • We have not matched this page with any official record.
  • Weather: Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis at the fire location, in cells of about 25 km.
  • Built-up area and population come from the JRC Global Human Settlement Layer (epoch 2020, 100 m cells), summed inside the perimeter: an estimate of what was there, not a damage count.

How we build fire pages: methodology

Where this data comes from

The perimeter is official: it comes from the National Burned Area Composite (NBAC) of the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System (CWFIS), Natural Resources Canada, which maps it on satellite imagery and publishes it under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Until NBAC publishes the current season, this year’s fires carry the perimeter rebuilt from heat detections by GWIS (Copernicus, CC BY 4.0), which is approximate. Heat detections come from the VIIRS sensors aboard Suomi-NPP and NOAA-20, distributed by NASA FIRMS at 375 m resolution. Census subdivision boundaries come from geoBoundaries ADM3 (Open Data Commons Open Database License 1.0). The area per census subdivision is computed by WorldFires by crossing the perimeter with those boundaries, so it may differ slightly from official figures.