The Southeast Fire Centre is asking anyone considering outdoor recreation activities over the weekend to be extremely vigilant as fuels could easily ignite.

Following an unusually dry spring and with near record-breaking temperatures expected in the region over the weekend, the Southeast Fire Centre would like to remind the public of the elevated fire danger. The forecast for the weekend is calling for low humidity levels as well as poor overnight recoveries, which may cause fine fuels to be particularly prone to quick ignition.

The southeast region experienced significant amounts of lightning on June 23, 2015, and some of these strikes may have ignited and could result in holdover wildfires after prolonged periods of hot and dry weather such as we are currently experiencing. As well, the current forecast allows for the possibility of more lightning over the weekend. It is important that firefighting personnel remain available to respond to these naturally occurring fires. Full co-operation from the public is required in order to reduce human-caused fires.

Following are some key points to remember when enjoying a campfire or recreating outdoors:

• Campfires must not be larger than a half-metre wide by a half-metre tall. Anyone lighting a campfire must maintain a fireguard by removing flammable debris from around the campfire area and must have a hand tool or at least eight litres of water available nearby to properly extinguish the fire.
• Do not burn in windy conditions
• Ashes must be cool to the touch before leaving the campfire site.
• All-terrain vehicles produce an enormous amount of heat and their exhaust systems can easily ignite grass or brush. They should not be parked on grass or other areas where hot parts of the machine are close to combustible materials. They should also have spark arresters installed to prevent sparks escaping from the exhaust system.
• Smoking materials, such as cigarette butts, should not be thrown out of vehicles but instead be extinguished in an interior ashtray. When in forested areas or grasslands, it is crucial to fully extinguish any such materials and dispose of them properly to help prevent human-caused wildfires.

With Canada Day fast approaching, The Southeast Fire Centre is reminding the public that fireworks are banned under the Category 2 Open Burning prohibition that came in effect June 24, 2015.

The Southeast Fire Centre would like to thank the public for reporting wildfires in the region and for using campfires safely during this period of elevated fire danger.

To report a wildfire or unattended campfire, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone.

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

You can also follow the latest wildfire news on:

• Twitter at http://twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo
• Facebook at http://facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo

Media Contacts:

Fanny Bernard
Fire Information Officer
Wildfire Management Branch
Southeast Fire Centre
250 365-4056