As temperatures stayed high, and conditions continued to dry over the long weekend the fire danger rating for much of the northwest elevated from high to extreme. Yesterday afternoon, the Northwest Fire Centre banned all campfires in addition to the open fire ban that came into effect last week in the Nadina, Bulkley and Skeena Fire Zones. This restriction includes all the burning of any size fire, description, including industrial burning on public, private or crown land. Cooking stoves that use gas, propane, or briquettes are not restricted. Over the past week, the Northwest Fire Centre responded to more than 15 fires in the region, nearly all caused by lightning. With more lightning anticipated, the fire centre needs to limit the risk of human caused fires as much as possible.