The BC Wildfire Service is putting a stop to prescribed burns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fire Information Officer Jody Lucius saying it is trying to limit the amount of smoke in the air for people who may have respiratory issues.

“It is an unusual move that we’ve taken as a direct result of COVID-19, both because of the smoke impacts as well as in order to insure that our crews are available to respond to other wildfires, now an in the future,” she said, during a conference call on Thursday.

Lucius adds the province has already banned several kinds of open fires in a bid to reduce the amount caused wildfires during the pandemic.

“Resource management open fires are prohibited throughout the province as part of our larger open burning prohibition,” she said. “And those resource management open fires do include prescribed burning, so we are not doing any prescribe burning within the province right now.”

“It’s an unusual move on our behalf, but a necessary one at this point.”

Lucius says the move will ensure that firefighters are able to respond to other wildfires, as needed. Along with Forests Minister Doug Donaldson, she adds with COVID-19, it is important for people to more vigilant and reduce the number of human-caused wildfires.

The Wildfire Service has already adapted training measures in light of the pandemic. It includes new sanitation protocols for staff travelling in shared vehicles, and professional-grade hand-washing stations at fire camps.

As well, firefighters will be moving away from large fire camps to using single-person tents and new crew camp kits to help crews in smaller groups wherever possible to reduce the risk of the virus spreading through larger camps.

“When they’re at work, safe distancing is possible because it’s an outdoor situation. Working on the fire line, there’s usually a good distance between the workers,” said Donaldson.

“The main concern is travelling to and from the sites, the camp situation, and ensuring that communities feel we’re operating safely.”

B.C.’s 2020 wildfire season is off to a slower than average start, with 132 fires identified as of today, which is below the 10-year average of 172 for this time of year. Five of those fires are currently burning, though all are under control, according to Lucius.

That said, Donaldson noted the B.C. government has allocated more money into wildfires following historic fire seasons in 2017 and 2018.

He says government has increased the wildfire budget to $136 million for 2020 — a $35 million increase from last year, noting that there are more aircraft available to the wildfire service this year with 20 tankers and eight bird dogs.