B.C.’s wildfire season is one step closer to ending with the province’s announcement it is lifting the provincial state of emergency Tuesday evening. The state of emergency, which was put in place on July 20, came into effect to co-ordinate the response to one of the worst wildfire seasons on record. Overall this year, 1,585 fires burned 8,686 square kilometres in the province. Only the 2018 and 2017 wildfire seasons were worse, with nearly 13,550 square kilometres and 12,160 square kilometres burned, respectively. The state of emergency came after the entire town of Lytton and much of the surrounding countryside burned to the ground on June 30, and after thousands of people were forced out of their homes or told to prepare to leave at a moment’s notice due to massive fires. Local leaders urged the province to declare a provincial state of emergency.