A surge in the number of abandoned or unattended campfires combined with high temperatures throughout the Southeast Fire Centre has fire officials urging recreationalists to be extremely careful with campfires this weekend.

Fire wardens have responded to 29 campfire incidents since last Thursday, July 18, raising the number of incidents to 104 already this season. Most of these campfire incidents occurred last weekend.

Every person-caused fire is preventable. These incidents tie-up valuable resources and may delay our crews from responding to a naturally occurring wildfire.

Currently, there are six lightning-caused wildfires burning in the Southeast Fire Centre. Five of these are less than one hectare in size. One fire on Perry Ridge, about 4.5 kilometres west of Winlaw, is approximately 35 hectares in size. There are no roads or structures near the fire and due to its remoteness, this fire is currently being attacked by air resources. Helicopter rappel crews are building helipads to accommodate firefighters who have started building a guard around the fire.

The Fire Danger Rating is currently moderate to high in the Southeast Fire Centre, with pockets of extreme fire danger near Revelstoke, Grand Forks, Creston and Cranbrook.

Quick Facts:

• Since April 1, the Southeast Fire Centre has responded to 60 wildfires, 29 of which were person-caused.

• Leaving a campfire unattended can result in a $345 fine. If your campfire causes a wildfire, you may also be held liable for suppression costs and damages.

• To report a wildfire or unattended campfire, call *5555 on your cell phone or 1 800 663-5555 toll-free.

Learn More:

For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, go to: http://bcwildfire.ca

You can also follow the latest wildfire news:

• On Twitter at: http://twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo

• On Facebook at: http://facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo

Media Contact:

Jordan Turner
Fire Information Officer
Southeast Fire Centre
250 365-4056