Campfire ban lifted for much of southern B.C.

The campfire ban across the southern half of B.C. has been lifted as cooling rain reduces the risk of wildfire.

Campfires were allowed again in the Kamloops, Southeast and Cariboo fire centres as of noon on Friday — just in time for the first official weekend of fall.

Category 2 and 3 fires — which are larger than half a square metre — are still prohibited.

The ban, prompted by tinder-dry weather, was enacted in July. At the time, the B.C. Wildfire Service said it expected the prohibition to hold until mid-October.

B.C. is emerging from its worst wildfire season on record, with more than 900,000 hecatres of charred land across the province. More than $300 million was spent fighting the fires and more than 45,000 people were forced from their homes.

At one point, 19 wildfires merged in the Interior to form a 476,000-hectare blaze — the biggest in provincial history.

More than 400 buildings were destroyed by fire in the Cariboo and Thompson-Nicola regions during the wildfire season.