The Prince George Fire Centre is reminding people to stay away from active wildfires.
According to fire information officer Jill Kelsh, two public vehicles drove to the head of an active fire while airtankers were overhead and about to drop retardant on Tuesday.
"The aerial attack had to be paused and crews were required to put themselves in front of the fire to ask the public to leave the area," Kelsh said in a written statement. "When the public enters an area of active wildfire during suppression operations they put themselves, our crew and others at risk."
The Wildfire Management Branch reported 21 new fire starts in the expansive Prince George Fire Centre (stretching from the Robson Valley to Fort Nelson) last week. All but one of those fire were caused by lightning. As of Aug. 6, there were another nine new lightning-caused fires and three human-caused fires.
Additional firefighting personnel arrived in B.C. from Ontario and Quebec this week, as well as extra equipment. An airtanker group from Alberta consisting of four amphibious skimmers, one bird dog aircraft and an air attack officer arrived in Prince George on Monday.
Costs associated with requests for assistance through the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre are covered by the province under the Mutual Aid Resources Sharing Agreement.
So far, the wildfire management branch has responded to 812 fires this season.
