Prince George, B.C.-  With  the  temperatures expected to climb over the weekend,  and  some  lightning  expected throughout the Cariboo Fire Centre,  that  region  could  see  lightning sparked wildfires.

BC Wildfire Service is preparing for increased wildfire activity in that region and is calling on the public to report any smoke or fires they may see.

The fire danger rating throughout the Cariboo Fire Centre is mostly “moderate” to “high”, with the exception of large pockets of “extreme” fire danger rating covering most of the Chilcotin Fire Zone.

Since  the beginning of April, the Cariboo Fire Centre  has already responded to 41 fires that have burned 208 hectares. Seven of these fires were lightning-caused. The other 34 were caused by people. In the last four days alone, crews have responded to three lightning-caused fires.

The BC Wildfire Service is urging the public to report wildfires by calling 1 800 663-5555 or *5555 on a cellphone. Open burning violations and abandoned campfires should also be reported to these numbers.

Category 2 and Category 3 open fires are currently prohibited throughout the Cariboo Fire Centre’s jurisdiction. Other prohibited activities include the use of fireworks, sky lanterns, burning barrels or burning cages of any type, and exploding binary targets (e.g., for target practice).

While the Prince George Fire Centre  is  expecting  to  experience  the same storms,   the  recent  rain has  reduced the fire danger rating to  mostly low to moderate throughout the region.  “We had so much precipitation,  we  just don’t have the dry conditions they are experiencing in the Cariboo  Fire Centre” says BC Wildfire Service  Communications person Amanda Reynolds.  “So while  we  will likely  see the same storms,   they will be accompanied by  precipitation, so  the  risk of  new lightning  sparked fires in  our region is  much lower.”