The provincewide state of emergency in B.C. will end tonight, Sept. 14, as the risk of wildfires has dropped with cooler temperatures.

Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma says the decision to end the nearly month-long state of emergency was based on advice from emergency management and wildfire officials.

“While the provincial state of emergency is no longer required, the wildfire season is not over,” Ma said, in a statement.

“Many communities still have local states of emergency in place and the expiration of the provincial state of emergency does not impact wildfire-fighting resources or our ability to continue to provide emergency supports to communities.”

As of Thursday, Ma says there are about 370 people are on evacuation order and more than 18,000 are on evacuation alert. These numbers are a substantial improvement over the last several weeks.

The state of emergency was declared about a month ago on Aug. 18, and extended by another two weeks on Aug. 31.

A state of emergency will be put in place for the unincorporated Stikine region in northwestern British Columbia.

“This will allow the Province to maintain the evacuation order in the area, which was issued on the recommendation of the BC Wildfire Service on Aug. 26,” the Provincial Government said, in a statement.

“The area extending north from Wheeler Lake to Blue River Bridge, south of Wheeler Lake to the Beaver Dam Rest Area, west of Highway 37, and to the east of Highway 37 remains under evacuation order. No primary residences are identified within the order area.”

This year has been a record for area burned at 23,750 square kilometres, and at the peak of wildfire situation, more than 70,000 people were on evacuation order or alert.

“In particular, conditions continue to be very challenging in northern B.C., with 125 active fires in the Prince George Fire Centre, and the Province will continue to surge resources into the North as required,” Ma added.