Photo: BC Wildfire Service

Controlled burns in the Stake Lake area on Wednesday are part of a BC Wildfire Service training exercise, the agency says.

The BC Wildfire Service says smoke might be visible south of Kamloops on Wednesday as crews use small burn piles to simulate a fire response.

The training exercises are scheduled to take place in the Stake Lake area, and BCWS said smoke could be visible to nearby residents and motorists on nearby highways.

“This is an important part of our annual provincial crew leader training camp to prepare our staff for the season ahead,” BCWS said in a statement.

“The exercise provides our staff with valuable experience responding to live fire in a training environment before engaging in active wildfire response.”

BCWS said the piles will be kept small and 65 firefighters will be on site to ensure safety.