Prince George, B.C. – The next two weeks are really going to drive what the fire potential is going to be for the remainder of this summer.

Eric Meyer, superintendent of weather for the BC Wildfire Service, made the comments during a teleconference this afternoon.

He also said the recent period of precipitation we’ve experienced is about to end with “very, very rapid drying, higher than normal temperatures,” and lower humidity’s in the forecast.

Meyer said it could lead to some pretty “volatile conditions.”

“The areas that will pick up the most quickly are the far northeast and most of the northwestern portions of the province, the Lower Mainland and especially the east coast of Vancouver Island.”

When it comes to drought conditions, Valerie Cameron, manager of water sustainability with the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (FLNRO, said most of the province, including the north and the northeast are experiencing normal water levels.

But with a lower than average provincial snowpack (about 13% of normal), she says we’ll need some rain soon.

“With a lack of snowfall we really are at the mercy of the weather. So if precipitation comes than we’ll be better off but if it doesn’t as happened last year, we could be expecting drought in areas around the province.”

And if the province experiences a drought like it did last summer, she said they may have to “start regulating water and water usage.”

“We really hope that doesn’t happen, we’re urging voluntary conservation as much as possible.”

If the weather doesn’t cooperate, they may have to start employing the Water Sustainability Act.

“We’re hoping for a better year than last year but we are certainly preparing for the worst.”