Forest Fire Threat Inching Upwards
Saturday, July 14, 2012 @ 4:14 AM
Prince George, B.C. – The 2012 forest fire season in the region covered by the Prince George Fire Centre has been at, or just below, the 10-year average. But things are heating up.
Fire Information Officer Jillian Chimko says there have been a total of 362 fires province-wide since the season opened April 1st. The PG Centre has recorded 128 of those, covering 4,107 hectares, while Kamloops reports 113 blazes in the bush. Chimko says the season got off to a quick start with several fires in May but then came the rains of June, which created a flood threat for much of the province but helped to reduce the fire threat considerably. However the fire danger rating is shooting upward with each day that passes without recorded precipitation. Right now the fire danger is rated as high in the Prince George Fire Centre, and extreme in the very northern portion of the province.
There are four active fires in the PG Centre’s area of coverage. None of those is close to Prince George though. Fort Nelson is the hot spot with the majority of those fires burning in that region.
As well, with temperatures hovering in the upper 20s and low 30s, residents and visitors alike are advised that open burning of slash, grass and other waste materials is banned until September 30th. Campfires are still permitted but must be no larger than half a metre by half a metre in size.
Comments
“inching” upwards???
Isn’t it centimetering uopwards? ;-)
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