With recent higher temperatures and drier conditions in many parts of the province, fire risk is rising, and the B.C. Wildfire Service is reminding residents to use caution over the B.C. Day long weekend.

Between April 1 and noon on Thursday, the wildfire service responded to 603 wildfires, 201 of which were caused by people and, thus, preventable.

Human-caused fires “unnecessarily tie up firefighting resources that could be used to deal with naturally occurring wildfires,” the service wrote in its reminder to use caution, which was posted on its Facebook page.

Campfires - defined as not larger than half a metre in height and width - are currently permitted throughout the province, but larger fires are prohibited in many regions. Detailed information about current burning restrictions can be found on the wildfire service website.

The service advises campfire starters to keep a shovel or at least eight litres of water available nearby to properly extinguish their fires, as well as to maintain a one-metre “fireguard” - an area where all flammable materials have been removed - around all campfires.

Never light a fire during windy conditions, and never leave a campfire unattended, the service advises.