Photo: Contributed

While the relatively milder, wetter summer has allowed Okanagan campers the freedom to have campfires well into August, the fire fun ends this weekend, with a campfire ban taking effect in the Central Okanagan Friday.

Bruce Smith, communications officer with the Regional District of Central Okanagan, says the fire hazard in the region is extreme, prompting the ban.

“As a result of the extremely dry conditions and extended period of hot, dry weather that has boosted the fire danger rating to extreme, local fire chiefs have decided to implement the total ban on campfires within all local government fire jurisdictions in the Regional District of Central Okanagan, including the City of West Kelowna, District of Lake Country, District of Peachland, Westbank First Nation and the Central Okanagan East and West Electoral Areas,” said Smith in a statement.

Smith says anyone who sees illegal burning is encouraged to call the Regional Fire Dispatch Centre at 250-469-8577.

The Central Okanagan campfire ban comes two days after campfires were banned on the southern coast of B.C.