The sound of crackling fires will return to Manitoba Campgrounds this weekend. Manitoba Conservation announced Thursday it is lifting the fire ban and travel restrictions for Eastern Manitoba, including all parks in the Whiteshell, Grand Beach and Birds Hill Provincial Park.

Gary Friesen is Manager of Fire Program with Manitoba Conservation. He says "due to the accumulated rainfall that we got in the storms last night (Wednesday) and this morning (Thursday), as well as the forecasted precipitation and the time of year, meaning shorter days, and higher evening humidities has allowed us to lift the travel restrictions and the ban on campfires."

The ban was in place since August 3rd. Friesen notes, "the public for the mostpart has been excellent with respect to this. These are record dry periods or droughts in these areas, so it's been something that everyone's recognized that it has been very dry. The fire danger level's been very high as well as the risk to the area and people in the areas has been high. So we just wanted to mitigate those risks as much as we could and the public has been excellent in cooperating."

Even though it's a near-record dry summer, Friesen says that hasn't resulted in an increase in forest fires. "That number's actually stayed kind of to that little bit above half or fifty per cent of what's normal in terms of averaging for fires for years."

Friesen notes it's been kind of a topsy turvy year. He says "in the spring it was quite dry up north and of course wet down south and as a result we had most of our fires in Northern Manitoba. And then as the summer went on, that changed right around. Now it's very wet up north and very dry in that eastern part of Manitoba." But he says that has allowed them to concentrate their fire suppression resources such as water bombers, helicopters and fire crews to one particular area.

Campfires are now permitted in approved fire pits in parks. Friesen simply asks those wishing to start a fire outside a park, to make sure there isn't a burning ban in that particular municipality.

Fires can be reported to Manitoba Conservation by calling toll-free 1-800-782-0076.