Campfires have been banned across almost all of BC.
Forest Minister Steve Thompson announced the unprecedented measure this morning to help prevent wildfires.
PG Fire Information Officer Jill Kelsh says the unseasonably hot and dry weather, and increasing lightning activity is proving to be a challenge.
“We normally don’t start to see lightning fires until July or August. This year we had lightning fires all through June… we’ve definitely seen a lot more fires and they have been burning a lot more aggressively at this time of the year due to the hot and dry weather. We are going into July already at a high and extreme (fire rating) across our fire centre, which typically we don’t start seeing until the middle of July.”
In the past 24hrs, there have been 8 new starts in the PG fire centre, (7 caused by lightning) most in the Northeast.
“We have an evacuation order in place for a oil and gas camp on the Petitot River Fire, that fire is about 4000 hectares in size and it’s burning to the Northest of Fort Nelson.” Kelsh said “We have other fires with values in the area, but none that are immediately threatened.”
The fire ban includes a ban to fires of any size, including camp fires, as well as fireworks, burning barrels and exploding rifle targets.
The ban does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes.
Campfires will still be allowed in the area known as the “Fog Zone” along the western coast of Vancouver Island.