A campfire ban on B.C.’s south coast, including the entire Sooke Region, comes into effect at noon today.
The campfire ban applies to all of the Coastal Fire Centre area, which includes Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland, with the exception of Haida Gwaii and the “fog zone” running down the western coast of Vancouver Island.
Gas, propane or briquette cooking stoves are still permitted.
The fire danger for the region moved into an “extreme” fire danger over the weekend.
The B.C. Wildfire Services is encouraging people to be mindful with anything that could cause a forest fire, such as exhausts, operating machinery that causes heat, or discarding cigarettes.
Meanwhile, firefighters are continuing to monitor the Tugwell Creek fire. Some hot spots still remain, said a B.C. Wildfire spokesman.
The cause of the 84-hectare fire is still under investigation, but officials say it was likely human-caused.
Meanwhile, temperatures hit the mid and high 20s over the last couple days, but are expected to cool heading toward the weekend.