Almost 100 B.C. Wildfire Management Branch personnel depart for Ontario as fire activity levels remain high in that province.

Fire wardens and other fire officials will be patrolling the Southeast Fire Centre this weekend to ensure campfire safety and compliance.

These patrols will target high-risk areas and ensure enforcement within areas such as Boundary and Christina Lake, where 26 abandoned campfires have been found this season.

Effective at 12 noon Friday, Aug. 12, 2011, all open burning, including campfires and fireworks, will be prohibited across the Merritt and Lillooet fire zones within the Kamloops Fire Centre to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety.

Woodlot licensees Alistair Schroff and Earl Ingram - the best in the province this year - are recipients of the Minister's Award of Excellence for Woodlot Management, Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad announced on behalf of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Minister Steve Thomson.

The Cariboo Fire Centre is urging the public to be cautious with fire use as conditions become increasingly hot and dry.

There is currently a restriction on open burning within the Cariboo Fire Centre region. Specifically, this restriction prohibits:

The Northwest Fire Centre is urging the public to be extra cautious with any burning due to increasingly hot and dry conditions.

As fire activity levels remain low in B.C., the Wildfire Management Branch continues to be able to deploy crews to Ontario.

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.

Comments are being accepted until Friday, Oct. 21, 2011 on a discussion paper released as part of a comprehensive review of the Okanagan timber supply area.

Compliance and Enforcement staff inspected more than 50 campfires at Shuswap Lake during the B.C. Day long weekend, but didn't have to issue one violation ticket.