Wildfire service personnel in the Kamloops Fire Centre, which includes the Okanagan, are bracing themselves for what could be a busy weekend.
But the B.C. Wildfire Service is urging you to do your part to try and ensure that’s not the case.
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In a news release, fire information officer Kevin Skrepnek said with the hot, dry weather in the forecast for the weekend, along with the chance of strong winds, there is a possibility of increased wildfire activity in our region.
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Almost half of the wildfires the service has responded to in the past five months were human-caused, according to Skrepnek.
“Human-caused fires are completely preventable and divert critical firefighting resources from naturally occurring, lightning-caused wildfires.”
Throughout the province, the fire danger rating is generally ‘moderate’ to ‘high’ but there are several areas with an ‘extreme’ rating.
The wildfire service is urging residents to do what they can to avoid these preventable wildfires.
WATCH BELOW: Crews gain upper hand on wildfire north of West Kelowna
The public is being reminded of the campfire ban in the Coastal Fire Centre, excluding Haida Gwaii and the Fog Zone area as well as in parts of the Northwest Fire Centre.
READ MORE: Campfire ban for much of the central Okanagan
“Local governments may also have their own burning restrictions in place so always check with local authorities before lighting any fire of any size,” Skrepnek said in the release.
If you’re caught breaching an open fire prohibition, you could be handed a $1,150 ticket, required to pay an administrative penalty of $10,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail.
Click here for more information about current bans and restrictions.
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