Fire wardens were busy putting out fires over the B.C. Day long weekend, including 21 abandoned campfires.
The B.C. Wildfire Service urged the public to be more vigilant with fire use and backcountry activities during the summer in order to reduce the risk of triggering a human-caused wildfire, which already number 71 this season.
Since Friday, the Kamloops Fire Centre has responded to 20 new fires, including 14 caused by lightning. The fire danger rating is rated as high in the Clearwater, Salmon Arm and Penticton fire zones.
Campers who leave fires abandoned or unattended could face a $1,150 fine. If campers trigger a wildfire, they could be fined up to $1 million and face a prison sentence, said the B.C. Wildfire Service.
Across B.C. firefighters have responded to 130 wildfires this year to date, including 57 lightning-caused blazes and 71 suspected to be caused by humans.
