Forest Fire Hazard , Worst In Memory In BC.

By 250 News

Vancouver – In a special news conference, Premier Gordon Campbell has called on all BC residents to do their part to prevent the start of forest fires in what he describes as the worst tinder dry conditions in the BC forest that most people can remember.

The Premier has called on all people in the province to stay away from the back country , go to private and provincial camp grounds , "We can predict where lighting may strike, but we can’t predict a human started fire. We cannot guarantee your safety if you go into the back country."

Since the beginning of the year the province has had 1800 forest fires, about half of them caused by humans. BC has spent $90 million to date on fighting those fires, with an average cost of about 2-3 million a day.

If you get caught starting a fire in the province you will be prosecuted,  was the word from the forest service. Some fires are still under investigation and charges will be laid,  if investigators are able to establish blame.

50,000 hectares of the province’s forests have been burned, with about 2500 fire fighters from a number of provinces fighting the blazes.

Premier Campbell says the weeks ahead are the most serious based on what happened in 2003 , August was the worst month in that year and this year is shaping up to be far worse.

BC has 600 fire fighters from other provinces with more experts on the way from Australia to help in what is expected to be a very major fire season.

In 2003 about 80% of the province faced major fires, this year Campbell says 100% of the province is at risk.

"Everyone must be vigilant in the province" he says, "people who discard a cigarette carelessly, a spark from a Quad or the exhaust from a dirt bike, they all are causes of forest fires."

The province has not yet banned all travel into remote areas,  the Premier said, "We are counting on the population to show some restraint."

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