Burns Lake is a small rural community situated in the geographical centre of the province of British Columbia. It is the seat of the Regional District of Buckley-Nechako . There are three First Nations reservations that are part of the town, making it one of the few communities in the province that have almost equal populations of native and Canadians of European descent.

The town serves as a hub for the local logging and tourist industries. Burns Lake features two pubs, a selection of stores and services as well as a hospital.