Ahead of campfires being banned across B.C. on Wednesday, many campgrounds in the Kamloops area are dousing them early.

NL News spoke to five different campground operators who all said nobody was having campfires today. Four campgrounds said they had decided to bring in a ban already, while a fifth had not yet, but suggested it wasn’t necessary based on the lack of interest.

Pinegrove Campground in McLure is one of those that brought in a ban. Owner Martina Hobbs says she put up signs today saying campfires are off limits.

Hobbs says she’s been anticipating a ban to come in for some time.

“I’ve been waiting for it. And I’m surprised they haven’t put it up sooner… We’ve had no rain,” she says.

“Everything is super dry, and it’s so hot. So I’ve put my sign out early, and no campfires are allowed. We all have to follow that rule and it’s for the best for everyone.”

The ban from the BC Wildfire Service comes into place at noon tomorrow. It comes as B.C. has been mired in a historic heatwave where all-time temperature records have been shattered in most of the province, while the fire danger rating has risen to extreme in the majority of the province.

Another campground in the area says it had a couple from out of town, who bought firewood on Sunday – a day when the temperature was above 40 degrees Celsius – and said they were having their first-ever campfire. The campground operator says the couple then accidentally started a huge fire, with four-to-five foot flames, and that others had to jump in and help put out the fire.

Other campgrounds echoed what Hobbs said about bringing in a ban before the B.C. government requires them to do so.

“We’re not allowing those as of right now. Because it’s super hot, and I doubt anyone would want to do a campfire anyways,” one operator said.

The campfire ban will stay in place until Oct. 15 unless lifted sooner.