On Saturday, May 3, the District of Barriere imposed a Fire Ban on all Category 2 and 3 fires within the district.
The ban is being put in place because of high seasonal temperatures, continued drought conditions, and resource limitations, the district said.
"For any burning, you are required to monitor (and remain at) your fire and have hand tools or water available to quickly action a fire mishap. Any unattended fire or fire found to be in non-compliance of By-Law 55 will be subject to fines," notes the district in a Facebook post. "This notice only affects the District of Barriere and not the TNRD area."
Campfires are still permitted but must be no larger than 0.5 metres by O.5 metres.
The move comes after Wednesday, April 30, when a wildfire was discovered on the Barriere Lakes Road.
Barriere First Responders (BFR) president Drew McMartin said shortly after 5 p.m. his team was dispatched to a wildland fire located at 821 Barriere Lakes Road.
"Due to the size and location of the fire, as well as the recent stretch of hot weather, firefighting conditions were physically demanding and placed additional stress on responding members."
McMartin said Barriere Fire Rescue requested mutual aid from Chu Chua Volunteer Fire Department and the BC Wildfire Service, while Barriere First Responders were called in to provide rehabilitation support.
The fire was quickly brought under control, McMartin said, thanks to swift action from local residents, who assisted with private fire extinguishers, tools and garden hoses stretched from nearby homes.
"Our team supported responders by providing snacks, water and Gatorade to help them stay hydrated, while also monitoring for signs of heat-related distress."
He said approximately three hours after the initial call, the fire was contained and remaining hot spots were fully extinguished.
The BC Wildfire Map indicated the fire was suspected to be human caused and earlier in the day, BC Wildfire Service had urged people living within the Kamloops Fire Centre not to do open burning on Thursday, May 1 and Friday, May 2.
