For much of B.C., summer 2019 has been a reprieve from the past two years of devastating forest fires burning throughout the province, creating choking smoke and destroying livelihoods.
And while there has been a fairly significant amount of rainfall in the past few weeks, it isn't stopping the province’s wildfire service from warning British Columbians that fire season is "far from over" as the Labour Day long weekend quickly approaches.
Over the B.C. Day long weekend, BC Wildfire crews had to extinguish nearly three dozen abandoned campfires, and as of Aug. 29, there were still 32 active fires burning across the province, including a blaze burning just north of Kamloops in Lac Du Bois Provincial Park that began the day prior.
"While this fire season hasn’t been as active as the past two summers, we still need everyone to remain vigilant and act responsibly," said B.C. forests and land minister Doug Donaldson in a statement Thursday.
According to the province, between April 1 and Aug. 28, 2019 provincial fire crews attended 696 wildfires, 57 per cent of which were started by people.
The wildfire service says campfires are currently permitted in all parts of the province under their jurisdiction, but says outdoor adventurers should still check with local authorities to confirm if burning restrictions are in place.
They ask campers to keep fires under half a metre high or wide, keep a fireguard around the blaze, including removing any flammable material nearby and keep shovels and at least eight litres of water nearby.
If you're heading out on an ATV, quad or dirt bike, make sure you have a spark arrestor installed and avoid riding through tall grass and weeds.
Anyone found ignoring burning restrictions could be ticketed for up to $1,150, fined $10,000, or a $100,000 fine and possibly a year in jail if convicted.
