The 2015 forest fire season is off to a busy start. The Northwest Fire Centre currently has five active wildfires on its map.
According to Olivia Pojar, Information Officer for the Northwest Fire Centre, the fires in the north region of the Northwest Fire Centre are burning in remote areas and no structures are threatened at this time. They all started in the last two weeks of May. The Lakelse River fire was first reported on June 15 and no structures are threatened at this time.
Currently, the majority of the Northwest Fire Centre has a fire danger rating of moderate to extreme. A high or extreme fire danger rating means that fires can start easily, spread quickly, and challenge fire suppression efforts. It is an indication that forest fuels are very dry and fire risk is serious. As of June 19, the areas around Burns Lake and Houston had a fire danger rating of high.
Pojar explained that significant precipitation could potentially reduce the fire danger rating.