The BC Wildfire Service is issuing a warning to campers about abandoning their campfires before they are fully extinguished.
Over the long weekend, fire wardens discovered and extinguished 23 abandoned campfires in the Kamloops area alone.
Abandoned campfires can lead to wildfires and are completely preventable.
Since Friday, the Kamloops Fire Centre has responded to 20 new fire starts, 14 of which were caused by lightning. Officials say having to deal with abandoned campfires diverts precious resources away from naturally-occurring incidents.
Anyone who leaves a campfire unattended can be fined up to $1,150. If that fire turns into a wildfire, that person could be fined up to $1 million, face three years in prison and have to pay for all related fire-suppression costs.
This year, the BC Wildfire Service has responded to 130 wildfires, which have burned 252 hectares. Out of that number, 57 were lightning-caused and 71 are suspected to be human-caused. Two are still under investigation.
Currently, the fire danger rating through the region is moderate with pockets of high in the Clearwater, Salmon Arm, and Penticton Fire Zones.
To report a wildfire or unattended campfire, call *5555 on your cell phone or call 1-800-663-5555 toll-free. For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, visit bcwildfire.ca