The BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) released their spring season outlook on Friday, which predicts normal wildfire conditions this year, despite April being drier than average.

While some wildfires have sparked in the province, BCWS says periodic rain and the remaining snowpack have limited fires in the province, and suppression patterns have generally restricted their size. 

Since Apr. 1, there have been 111 reported wildfires — over 80% of which have been human-caused — and burned about 570 hectares of land. 

Fire season forecasts from BCWS are determined by meteorologists and fire behaviour specialists by using a mix of weather data and analysis of environmental factors.

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Their results say that, right now, the Okanagan and Cariboo regions are the most fire vulnerable regions. Despite being outside both of those areas, Prince George experienced their driest April on record. They've also determined warmer temperatures have been leading to an increase in available forest fuels in regions around the province.

Although new plant growths are expected to reduce fire behaviour by increasing localized humidity, grassfire activity will only become more severe as fine fuels dry out.

Seasonal temperature forecasts don't predict any extreme temperatures for May, and although precipitation patterns are difficult to predict, they expect normal to dry weather patterns in BC this month.