Campfires once again permitted in much of B.C.

As of noon Friday, campfires are once again allowed across most of British Columbia, with only the drought-challenged region of southern Vancouver Island still covered by restrictions.

The BC Wildfire Service says campfire prohibitions are being removed across the entire Kamloops Fire Centre and in the Boundary fire zone of the Southeast Fire Centre.

Bans were lifted last month in the Cariboo and Prince George fire centres and in the Northwest Fire Centre in July.

Campfires, which must be no more than half-a-metre wide by half-a-metre high, were allowed in the Coastal Fire Centre earlier this month but remain banned across the southern third of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.

The wildfire service says fire activity is decreasing across B.C. but about 200 blazes are still burning and two are still ranked as fires of note, with both rated as either under control or being held.

Statistics from the Ministry of Forests and Emergency Management BC show 1,585 wildfires have charred 8,686 square kilometres of land since the start of the season on April 1.