Prince George, B.C. –  There is no doubt about it,  2017 is turning out to be one of the worst fire seasons in the past decade.

According to  the B.C. Wildfire Service,  as of  yesterday,  there had been 657 fires in B.C. since April 1st of this year.    Those fires have already consumed 188,928 hectares, and the B.C. fire season  has not yet reached  its peak.

Here’s how the first three and a half months of  the 2017 fire season compare to previous  years,  keep in mind,  with the exception of the 2017 season, the figures  for previous years  are for the FULL  fire season in  each of the noted years:

2017         657 fires           188,928 hectares burned 

2016     1,050 fires             100,366 hectares burned

2015       1,858 fires           280,605 hectares burned

2014       1,481 fires           369,168 hectares burned

2013       1,861 fires           18,298  hectares burned

2012       1,649 fires           102,122 hectares burned

Over a ten  year period,  (2007  through to and including 2016) the average number of fires   per  season  is 1,689  and the average number of hectares burned is 151,041.