New Brunswick fire officials are asking people to stay out of the woods as they battle an above-average fire season.
Roger Collet, New Brunswick’s wildfire prevention officer, said conditions throughout the province are extremely dry.
“Springtime conditions so there’s not a lot of green-up yet in a lot of areas. Some in the southern part of the province do have leaves and green grass, but as you head further north there’s less of that so they’re not quite there yet.”
Just over 200 wildfires have been reported throughout the province since early April. More than 70 of those fires have occurred since a provincewide burn ban went into effect last Monday.
Crews are monitoring more than a dozen fires as of Wednesday morning, including an out-of-control blaze southeast of Blackville which has grown to around 350 hectares in size.
Collet said the higher humidity in the forecast this week for most of the province should help a bit.
“If we can get them up in the 50-plus [per cent] range, it will help keep the activity a little bit lower. It doesn’t mean we won’t continue to burn, it just means that activity wouldn’t be as extreme,” he said.
Collet said people need to respect the burn ban, which remains in effect, and not have any fires.
“We’re also asking that if you don’t need to be in the woods to not go to the woods, just stay out of the woods because of the possibility of accidental ignition,” he said.
Accidental fires can be caused by something as simple as hot exhaust in dry grass, said Collet.
Burning conditions are valid from 2 PM May 26th, to 2 PM May 27th.
All counties are closed for burning. pic.twitter.com/B5XRmVvwVM
— NB Forest Fires (@NBForestFires) May 26, 2020
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