VICTORIA - With 175 wildfires burning around B.C., down from just over 200 on Tuesday, the Province continues to caution all British Columbians to be diligent with fire safety and to report all wildfires to authorities.

Update on fire activity and impacts:

There were a total of 10 new wildfires in B.C. yesterday, down four from Monday. As of noon today, there were 175 active wildfires throughout the province (of these, 18 are active fires of note), with three states of local emergency due to wildfire, and seven Evacuation Alerts and Orders currently in effect.

As of July 15, approximately 96 properties in the province were on Evacuation Order with over 200 homes and an estimated 300 residents of Tsi Del Del (Alexis Creek) First Nation on Evacuation Alert. These numbers will fluctuate as orders and alerts are put into place or rescinded. For all current Evacuation Alerts and Orders in B.C., please visit: www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca

Evacuation Orders currently exist in these areas:

• Cariboo Regional District affecting 70 properties due to the Puntzi Lake wildfire.
• Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, affecting three commercial properties and two recreational cabins due to the Boulder Creek wildfire.
• Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District affecting 21 recreational properties due to the Dog Mountain wildfire.

Evacuation Alerts exist in these areas:

• Sunshine Coast Regional District due to the Old Sechelt Mine wildfire, affecting 21 properties.
• Cariboo Regional District due to the Puntzi Lake wildfire northwest of Williams Lake, affecting 149 homes.
• Tsi Del Del (Alexis Creek) First Nations due to the Puntzi Lake wildfire, affecting an estimated 300 residents.
• Fraser Valley Regional District due to the Cougar Creek wildfire south of the Nahatlach River, affecting 38 recreational cabins and two commercial properties.

States of local emergency for wildfires exist in the following areas:

• Cariboo Regional District.
• Squamish-Lillooet Regional District.
• Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District.

Government to examine human-caused fire penalty structures:

After an early and extremely difficult start to the fire season, the Province is doing all that it can to stop human-caused fires.

MLA Mike Morris, Parliamentary Secretary for the Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, will conduct a review of the current fine and penalty structures related to human-caused forest fires, and will consider recommendations for a number of penalties that could include banning repeat offenders from provincial parks, increasing fines, and possible vehicle impoundment for those who flick lit cigarette butts out of their vehicles.

A total of 375 human-caused fires have occurred so far this year. Human-caused wildfires are preventable and the public is B.C.’s first line of defence. Please be diligent when in the backcountry, follow all fire bans and restrictions and report all wildfires to 1 800 663-5555 or *5555 on your mobile phone.

Learn More:

To keep up-to-date on emergency notices, Evacuation Alerts and Evacuation Orders, follow @EmergencyInfoBC (twitter.com) on Twitter.

Info on current wildfires and burning bans, as well as fire safety tips: http://engage.gov.bc.ca/bcwildfire/ and http://ow.ly/PfwC6

Help prevent wildfires and learn what to do to plan and respond to an Evacuation Alert or Order, visit: http://ow.ly/PoFVn

The Homeowner’s FireSmart Manual helps inform people on how to reduce the risk of personal property damage due to wildfires: http://ow.ly/PfpqL

Media Contacts:

BC Wildfire Services
Media Relations
250 312-3051
or
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
Media Relations
250 356-5261