KAMLOOPS - Effective at 12 noon on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011, all open fires will be permitted within the Clearwater and Salmon Arm fire zones, due to a decreased risk of wildfires.

British Columbia is sending 16 firefighting personnel to central Alberta, to assist that province with an increase in fire activity.

Earlier this month, provincial and federal agencies joined forces to inspect and patrol Shuswap Lake for compliance with B.C.'s boating and fishing regulations.

Former gas stations are the most common type of brownfield in B.C. The Province is releasing a new toolkit to help local governments address these often overlooked and underutilized sites.

Travellers are advised that the Mabel Lake Forest Service Road in the Lumby area will be closed at the 32-kilometre mark from Monday, Oct. 10 through Monday, Oct. 31, 2011.

Effective at 12 noon on Friday, Sept. 23, 2011, backyard burning will be permitted within parts of the Coastal Fire Centre due to a decreased risk of wildfire.

Effective at 12 noon on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2011, campfires are allowed within the Kamloops Fire Centre's jurisdiction due to a decreased risk for wildfires.

If you spot a fire or smoke south and west of Revelstoke, it is likely due to prescribed pile burning. The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations is planning to burn slash piles created from a fuels management project that took place in spring 2011.

Effective noon Sept. 21, 2011, all open fires will be permitted across the Columbia Fire Zone due to a decreased risk of wildfires. However, open fires remain prohibited within the rest of the Southeast Fire Centre's jurisdiction, with the exception of campfires.