There are signs that wildfires in the Harrison Hot Springs area are getting under control.
According to the latest information from the B.C. Wildfire Service, two of the three wildfires north of the village are no longer classified as out of control.
The Chehalis River wildfire 鈥� across Harrison Lake from Sasquatch Provincial Park 鈥� remains a wildfire of note and has not changed in size since Saturday, holding at roughly 800 hectares. The Statlu Creek wildfire, about 18 kilometres north of Harrison, is being held at 80 hectares and is no longer classified as out of control.
The Francis Lake wildfire is under control as well, held at less than one hectare in size.
While precipitation over the weekend was certainly welcome, B.C. Wildfire Service indicated the rain did not significantly impact near-future fire conditions throughout the Coastal Fire Centre; cooler temperatures and higher humidity did help in the fight against wildfires, however.
The cause of the Statlu Creek and Francis Lake wildfires are currently under investigation; the Chehalis River fire was determined to be human-caused last week.
A campfire ban has been in effect for the Coastal Fire Centre for the past six days.
Always check with local government authorities to see if any other burning restrictions are in effect. This ban is in place until Halloween or until the order is rescinded.
In addition to open fires being prohibited, the following activities and equipment are also restricted:
Fireworks
Sky lanterns
Burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description
Binary exploding targets
Air curtain burners
Tiki and similar kind of torches
Chimineas (outdoor fireplaces)
This prohibition does not include the use of outdoor stoves.
Anyone who lights, fuels or uses an open fire when a fire prohibition is in place or fails to comply with an open fire prohibition may be issued a ticket for $1,150 or, if convicted in court, be fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail. If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be subject to a penalty of up to $100,000 and ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.
The Air Quality Health Index value for the eastern Fraser Valley is expected to stay between 2 and 3 through Tuesday evening; this places the area in a low-risk category, downgraded from moderate risk earlier this past week.
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