With temperatures into the 30 degrees in Kamloops, the BC Wildfire Service is bracing for what could be a busier weekend.

Temperatures in many communities – including Kamloops – are as much as ten degrees above normal for this time of the year.

Chief Fire Information Officer Kevin Skrepnek says the fire danger rating across most of the province is moderate.

“Five to ten degrees above normal and really not a whole lot of relief, at least in the next three to five days by the looks of it,” he said. “Maybe a bit of rain on Monday, there is definitely potential for some things to get started this weekend.”

“At this time of year, just about every fire we see is human caused, and of course, given that forecast I expect there’s going to be a lot of people outdoors this weekend.”

Skrepnek says in the Kamloops Fire Centre there are no major burning bans in effect, but Category 2 and 3 fires are banned in the Cariboo Fire Centre.

“There are some pockets of high fire danger rating already, mainly in the far north east and along the coast, but given that weather forecast really that fire danger rating has nowhere to go but up,” Skrepnek added. “Even though there is a bit of instability next week, maybe Monday, maybe a bit of rain, it doesn’t look like it’s going to be a significant amount and we kind of go right back to dry conditions immediately after.”

“For the most part I’d say the Kamloops Fire Centre is overwhelmingly moderate, but certainly up towards the Lytton – Lillooet corridor, it’s higher out there, but again that’s as of yesterday, and I expect that is only going to increase from this point.”

Skrepnek thinks a lot of people will be spending time outdoors this weekend, and so he is urging caution.

He says there have been no fires of note so far this season, but two wildfires near Chase in March did get up to a 100 hectares and 250 hectares in size.