Fire danger expected to rise alongside temperatures, dry conditions within Kamloops Fire Centre

KAMLOOPS — As temperatures climb into the high 30s this week, people within the Kamloops Fire Centre are urged to stay on top of fire prevention habits.

According to BC Wildfire Service Information Officer Taylor Shantz, rainfall in June was helpful in keeping the fire danger rating in the low-to-moderate range. However, the area is about to experience rising temperatures, paired with drought conditions that carried over from last summer.

“The main message is that we’re seven-to-10 days away from conditions changing drastically and us being into those higher levels of fire danger and fire behaviour ratings,” she says.

Shantz adds whether it’s in your own backyard or the backcountry, people are encouraged to be cautious with any activities that could pose a fire risk.

If a wildfire is spotted, residents can report the sighting on their cell phone by calling *5555 or through the BC Wildfire Service app.

“What’s really great about that app is it has a map that can update you on what the wildfire situation is, but it also has the ability to report a wildfire and include photos which is a huge advancement for our operations team,” explains Shantz. “Those photos come in and they’re able to see what kind of incident they’re reporting to and make sure that the correct personnel are getting out there on the land base in a timely fashion.”