The BC Wildfire Service gave an update on the wildfires raging across the BC.
Rob Schweitzer, the Director of Fire Centre Operations for the BC Wildfire Service said there were 1250 wildfires in the province since April 1st, with 456,000 hectares burned so far, but said the lift in the campfire prohibition in the north doesn’t worry him.
“So I’m not concerned that we’re going to see an increase in human-caused fires. There’s a lot of work that goes into our decision-makers before coming up with a decision whether or not to put a prohibition in place or to remove it,” said Schweitzer.
He added the average number of wildfires for this time of year is around 658, with 106,000 hectares burned.
The campfire prohibition was lifted in the Northwest and Prince George Fire Centres yesterday (Wednesday).
While the fire danger ratings have declined, the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George is asking people to use caution with campfires.
Additionally, Dr. Bonnie Henry also gave an update on the smoke from the wildfires, saying that inhaling wildfire smoke can make it harder for oxygen to get into your blood.
“So it can cause irritation to your respiratory system. We also know it can cause an inflammatory response over time. So that’s why it is important for people take measures to reduce their exposure to smoke,” said Dr. Henry.
There are 243 active wildfires in BC:
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- 50 are in the PG Fire Centre, 6 are of note.
- 4 are in the Northwest Fire Centre, 1 is of note.
- 37 are in the Cariboo Fire Centre, 7 are of note.
