BC Wildfire Service

By Vernon Matters Staff

risk

Kelowna one of most ‘wildfire-vulnerable’ cities in Canada: Report

May 8, 2025 | 3:00 PM

In light of enormous wildfire-related losses in Canada in recent years, a leading Insurtech company has released the findings of its study into the most at-risk cities in the nation.

MyChoice found Kelowna, along with Kamloops, are the most vulnerable. Kelowna was rated even more at risk than a previous measure when based on their measurement parameters.

To determine city-level risk scores, MyChoice analyzed two key indicators across the core wildfire season from May to September: the Forecast Severity Rating (FSR) and the Forecast Severity Anomaly (FSA), both sourced from the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System’s monthly and seasonal forecasts.

FSR gauges the predicted intensity of wildfire conditions while FSA compares the forecasted severity to historical norms.

Each city’s overall risk score was calculated by averaging the monthly FSR and FSA values from May through September, providing a comprehensive picture of where wildfire risk is expected to be most severe in 2025.

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Key Findings from the Study: Kamloops, BC, once again tops the list as Canada’s most wildfire-vulnerable city in 2025, with a risk score of 9.2/10, down slightly from 9.4 relative to last year’s report.

Kelowna posted a score of 9.2, up from 8.6 last year, reflecting higher predicted severity levels and consistent anomalies throughout the season, making it one of the most at-risk cities this year.

Regina, SK climbed to 8.8 from 8.6 in 2024, driven by slightly more intense forecast anomalies and steady severe fire weather indicators. Saskatoon, SK saw a year-over-year decline in wildfire risk, dropping to 7.8 from 8.8.

Last year’s $8.5 billion was record-breaking for insured losses from weather-related disasters- the highest in Canadian history. The Jasper wildfire alone accounted for over $1.1 billion in damages. My Choice said what were once considered rare, one-in-100-year events are now happening with alarming regularity.

For more on the report click here.