Smoke from the Cisco Road Fire near Lytton is drifting into the Southeast Fire Centre and East Kootenay residents may continue to see smoke from that blaze as firefighting crews work to suppress it.

Depending on the prevailing winds, smoke can travel long distances.

Although there may be dense smoke visible in certain areas of the Southeast Fire Centre, there are currently no wildfires in the region that have the potential to create this amount of smoke.

For information about air quality and satellite imagery from the Western Canada Smoke Forecast, please go to: www.bcairquality.ca

To reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires, the public is reminded of the following safety precautions.

Anyone contemplating lighting a Category 2 open fire should first check with local authorities to see if any other burning restrictions are in effect.

* Locate the fire site away from buildings, trees and other combustible materials.

* Do not burn during windy conditions.

* Have adequate people, water and hand tools available to prevent the fire from escaping.

* Never leave the fire unattended.

* Ensure that the fire is completely extinguished and the ashes are cold to the touch before leaving the area for any length of time.

Anyone lighting a fire must ensure that they conduct the burn safely and responsibly, as outlined in the Wildfire Act and its regulations. If an open fire escapes and is determined to have caused a wildfire, the person(s) responsible may be liable for fire suppression costs and damages.

Campfires must be less than a half-metre wide by a half-metre high and must never be left unattended. Anyone lighting a campfire must ensure they have a hand tool such as a shovel or at least eight litres of water readily available to properly extinguish the fire. The ashes must be cold to the touch before leaving the area.

To report a wildfire or unattended campfire, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone.

For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, visit: http://www.bcwildfire.ca

You can also follow the latest wildfire news:

* On Twitter at: http://twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo

* On Facebook at: http://facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo

Lead image: Smoky Camp Peak west of Invermere. Photo by Chris Conway

e-KNOW

Article Share