Prince George, B.C. –  As the long weekend approaches,  and hunting  season  set to start,  there are calls from the Rec Sites and Trails Branch of  the Ministry of Forests,  that the public stay clear of the back country, particularly in the Cariboo, Kamloops and Southeast Fire Centres.

“We are advising the public not  to  visit recreation sites in the Cariboo, Kamloops and Southeast Fire Centres over the Labour Day Long weekend” says John Hawkings , director of Rec Sites and Trails Branch “Visitors who are currently camped  and using those recreation sites  within those three  Fire Centres  are being encouraged to leave.”

He says there are already  more than 165 rec sites, and  more than 41 trails which are closed, most of  which are in the Cariboo Fire Centre.   Those sites  and trails and  all existing trails and closures will remain closed over the long weekend.

Campfires are already banned in the  three fire  centres noted,  as  is the use of  off road vehicles.

The extra precaution of  calling on folks to stay  away from the back country  comes  as a high pressure ridge continues to build, and will bring more hot,  dry  conditions to the region that has been plagued with fires.

BC Wildfire Service  Chief Information Officer Kevin Skrepnek says  while  encouraging people not to head to the back  country, the B.C. Wildfire Service is not taking that  extraordinary step of  imposing a full back country closure “We are trying to strike a bit of a balance here  in terms of disruption but we do want to make it clear to people that given  the weather forecast,  it is going to be volatile out there.  with that in mind, there’s going to be increased patrols by  the Conservation  Service, by Natural Resource Officers, Fire wardens  as well, local police in certain areas,  and not just  around  rec sites and trails, but across the board in terms of back  country activities.”

In addition to the campfire and off road vehicle prohibitions in the three  most volatile fire centres, Skrepnek there are also area restrictions around the  major  fires to ensure public safety and a number of forest service roads in the southeast  have been closed “And there is ongoing assessment  underway right now  if we need to look at mandatory closures in some areas.”