黑马磁力

Cooler, wetter weather on the horizon may be of help toward fighting a wildfire of note north of Harrison Hot Springs.

The B.C. Wildfire Service states the Chehalis River Wildfire has actually reached 767 hectares in size rather than 800; it continues to burn out of control but has not increased significantly in size. The wildfire that has been burning for 10 days as of Tuesday (June 13) is suspected to be human-caused.

The past few days have seen some precipitation fall on the Coastal Fire Centre. A cold front coming through on Tuesday could bring with it strong winds with potential isolated lightning and thunderstorms.

With the shifting winds, smoke could blow into areas that previously saw no smoke in the area.

Elsewhere in the region, the Statlu Creek wildfire 鈥� 18 kilometres northwest of Harrison 鈥� stands at 63 hectares and is being held, unlikely to spread further under current conditions. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The Francis Lake wildfire is under control, held at less than one hectare in size. The cause is unknown at this time.

The Air Quality Health Index indicates the eastern Fraser Valley鈥檚 air quality should remain low-risk going into Wednesday night.

A campfire ban has been in effect for the Coastal Fire Centre for the past six days.

Always check with local government authorities to see if any other burning restrictions are in effect. This ban is in place until Halloween or until the order is rescinded.

In addition to open fires being prohibited, the following activities and equipment are also restricted:

Fireworks

Sky lanterns

Burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description

Binary exploding targets

Air curtain burners

Tiki and similar kind of torches

Chimineas (outdoor fireplaces)

This prohibition does not include the use of outdoor stoves.

Anyone who lights, fuels or uses an open fire when a fire prohibition is in place or fails to comply with an open fire prohibition may be issued a ticket for $1,150 or, if convicted in court, be fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail. If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be subject to a penalty of up to $100,000 and ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

The Air Quality Health Index value for the eastern Fraser Valley is expected to stay between 2 and 3 through Tuesday evening; this places the area in a low-risk category, downgraded from moderate risk earlier this past week.

Stay connected to The Observer for up-to-the-minute coverage.