The August long weekend is upon us and with warm sunny weather on tap across the province, campers will be out in full force, battling the bugs.
Smokey campfires are one way to get rid of pesky insects but campers are being reminded to be careful. So far this year, 32 campfires have turned into wildfires, and with forests rapidly drying out from rain earlier in the week, the fire hazard will be on the rise.
In the interests of keeping our forests from burning, the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations provincial wildfire co-ordination centre has placed restrictions on the size of campfires, which can be no larger than one metre wide and one-half metre tall. People who light campfires are required to create a one-metre wide ring around the fire and have a shovel and at least eight litres of water nearby to extinguish the flames and hot coals.
Never leave a campfire unattended and make sure ashes are cool to the touch before leaving.
Compliance and enforcement officers will be out in full force this weekend to make sure campfire regulations are being followed. Since April, 670 fires have been reported in the province, 324 of which were caused by people.
Today's high temperature in Prince George is expected to reach 28 C, with the risk of a thunderstorm late in the afternoon. After an overnight low of 12 C, Sunday's sunny high is heading for a blistering 30 C , with a low of 13 C. Environment Canada expects a cloudy day Monday with a high of 27 C and a 60 per cent chance of showers.
Although no campfire bans are in place in the Prince George area this weekend, anyone caught contravening a fire prohibition can be fined as much as $345. If convicted in court, the fine could jump to $1,000 and the culprit could be subject to a one-year jail term.
People are being asked to report smoke or flames to the ministry fire office toll free at 1-800-663-555 or call *5555 on a cell phone.
