Concerned British Columbians are hoping a petition urging B.C. Wildfire Services to implement a full fire ban will help reduce the risk of wildfires.
The ‘Keep B.C. Green Full Fire Ban Now’ petition was created on Change.org recently.
“It’s our right to protect our homes, families, livelihoods, forests and environment around us,” the petition reads.
“The normal process of fire restrictions leave our communities at risk. It is not even the middle of May and we have HUMAN caused fires causing evacuations, devastating the land and polluting our air.”
READ MORE: Unusually dry March leads to dozens of grass fires in B.C.
READ MORE: Fire officials warn of ‘overwintering’ fires as winter melts away
The initiative was started by Cambria Volonte, who set a goal of a thousand signatures.
“To say an experience of a campfire is worth the economic impact these fires have on our communities or the emotional impact on those that are chased from their homes. If you are not directly affected by the fires your health and those of your loved ones is still compromised, smoke travels as we all know,” wrote Volonte.
ALSO READ: Small South Okanagan wildfire under control
This year so far, 94.6 per cent of fires have been human-caused, totalling 174.
There were 28 human caused active fires as of Sunday evening.
With human-caused #BCWildfires already prompting evacuation orders so early in the season, petition starter Cambria is asking the provincial government to put a full fire ban into effect immediately. #cdnpoli #BCpoli https://t.co/Qxo7rhTKZN
— Change.org Canada (@CdnChange) May 19, 2019
