Prince George, B.C.- The forest fire season is coming to a close, and Minister of Forests and Range Pat Bell says it will be an expensive one  “It looks like it will be another ‘over $200 million' year” says Bell.

 

This will go on record as the third most expensive fire fighting season in the past 12 years. 

 

In 2009, the costs were just below $400 million, and   the only other season that was over $200 million was in 2003, when costs hit $371.2 million.

 

The out of province forest fighters have all returned home and  most of the aircraft have returned to their home bases .   B.C. fire fighters and some heavy equipment  remain on site of the fires which need mopping up.

 

So far this year, there have been 1,596 fires which have burned 322,378 hectares. Of all those fires, 452 were in the Prince George Fire Centre and 311 were in the Cariboo Fire Centre.