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BC Wildfire Service dealing with first wildfires of 2016

BC Wildfire Service dealing with first wildfires of 2016 - image
File Photo/Global News

The BC Wildfire Service has been fighting a number of wildfires this week in the Cariboo – including one burning near Buffalo Creek this hour.

“The wildfire is suspected to be human-caused and is located east of 100 Mile House along the Canim-Hendrix Lake Road,” wrote the BC Wildfire Service in a statement.

“The fire is not growing rapidly and no structures or property are threatened at this time.”

The fire is 1.5 hectares in size, and one of many the Cariboo Fire Centre has responded to because of dry conditions this month.

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“Windy conditions are expected throughout this weekend and the public is urged to use caution when conducting open burning,” they wrote.

Fire Information Officer Emily Epp says that warm conditions in northern B.C. have contributed to an earlier start to the wildfire season.

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“The conditions we’ve been seeing throughout Northern B.C this yea is definitely drier for this time of year,” said Epp.

“There has been a lower snowpack earlier than normal, so we have been anticipating earlier than normal fire activity.”

READ MORE: Some fines triple under B.C.’s Wildfire Act

“Please watch for changing weather conditions and have enough people, water and hand tools ready to keep your fire under control.”

Last year, the provincial government spent an estimated $292 million fighting fires in B.C., more than double the average for the previous decade.

By the numbers: A look at the 2015 Canadian forest fire season

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