Effective at 12 noon on Saturday, May 19, Category 2 open fires and fireworks will be prohibited in most of the Prince George Fire Centre to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect the public.

B.C.'s Wildfire Management Branch is reminding the public to exercise caution when conducting outdoor burns this spring.

The Province has designated 503 hectares of river and riparian habitat along the Stellako River as a wildlife management area, announced Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Steve Thomson.

The public is urged to be extremely careful with campfires and other burning this week as summer weather finally arrives in the Northeast.

Forecasts for the long weekend are predicting warmer, drier temperatures across the Prince George Fire Centre and fire officials are reminding the public that it doesn't take much to start a wildfire.

Warm, dry weather is expected throughout the Prince George Fire Centre into the weekend, bringing the fire danger rating to moderate to high and increasing the risk of wildfire.

Recreational users are advised that the Bobtail Lake Recreation Site will be temporarily closed due to site reconstruction and gravel hauling between Monday, Aug. 8 and Monday, Aug. 15, 2011.

The Prince George Fire Centre responded to 13 new fire starts yesterday, all lightning-caused.

The Prince George Fire Centre has responded to eight new fire starts in the past week, over half caused by lightning.