Watch your spring burning, forest fire officials say as dry conditions persist

Warm temperatures, melting snow and a general lack of precipitation across the northwest recently has driven the forest fire risk up, and wildfire officials are urging people to be careful.

• Drone near northwestern Ontario forest fire prompts warning

The fire hazard ranges from high to extreme across the northwest as of Monday afternoon, according to Jonathan Scott, a fire information officer with the province's Aviation Forest Fire and Emergency Services.

"Right now, grass fires are a very large hazard," he said. "Especially under windy conditions, so we're reminding the public there's no daytime burning allowed during the fire season."

Scott added that people need to remain vigilant about watching and monitoring any fires they do light during evening hours.

A pair of incidents in Winnipeg over the past week have highlighted the dangers associated with grass and brush fires at this time of year. Two men died in hospital after being burned in a brush fire on Friday that officials are calling "unusual," while a pair of firefighters narrowly escaped a similar fate last week fighting a grass fire.

• 2 dead after 'unusual' brush fire behind business on Regent Avenue

• 2 firefighters surrounded but escape grass fire with smoke inhalation injuries

There is currently a burn ban in Winnipeg due to the dry conditions in and around the city. Scott said there are no general bans in the northwest at this point but fire officials continue to monitor conditions, and the weather.

"It's been over the last, maybe two weeks, the reduction in snow that's occurred across the northwest region and that's really started to dry out the forest throughout the northwest region," Scott said.

"We want to make sure people are being safe with their fires and ensuring they are put out."