It’s looking to be a fairly gloomy weekend to celebrate the 151st birthday of Canada.
With that, residents of the Bulkley Valley and Lakes District (BVLD) may be turning towards their campfires a little more than usual.
Northwest Fire Centre’s Carolyn Bartos, says she hopes increased human-activity throughout the BVLD doesn’t spark any more wildfires.
“From April 1st to now, we’ve had 53 wildfires reported in the Northwest Fire Centre’s region of coverage. Of these 53 fires, 36 were caused by lightning and the remaining 17 were human-caused. We would like to remind residents that human-caused fires are completely preventable, so please be mindful heading into the long weekend. These fires unnecessarily divert crucial firefighting resources away from naturally occurring blazes.”
Currently, in the Northwest Fire Centre, there are no burn prohibitions in place.
Bartos says she would simply like everyone to practice safe campfire use no matter where your ventures may take you.
If you plan on having a fire, it is recommended that you keep 8 liters of water nearby. Those who plan on leaving a fire unattended must extinguish it fully. This means the ashes of your fire must be cool to the touch. Bartos finished by saying one must always be mindful of the wind during any sort of burn.
More campfire safety tips can be found here.