Extreme heat has led Vernon Fire Rescue Services (VFRS) to upgrade the city's fire danger rating.

 VFRS adjusted its fire danger rating sign from 'high' to 'extreme' Tuesday night, in anticipation of the rating being upgraded Wednesday.

"During times of extreme heat, conditions can change very quickly," said city spokesperson Josh Winquist in an email. "Vernon Fire Rescue Services prefers to be proactive and will make changes to the fire danger rating if indicators suggest the conditions are changing to reflect that fire danger rating."

VFRS determines the fire danger rating based on information from the BC Wildfire Service. It uses data from a weather station in Fintry, which is , the highest rating on the scale. 

BC Wildfire Service operates about 260 weather stations in the province, which send reports on an hourly basis. 

An extreme fire danger rating means extremely dry forest fuels and a "very serious" fire risk in which new fires will start easily, spread rapidly and challenge fire suppression efforts, according to the BC Wildfire Service website.

The increased fire danger rating coincides with the city's campfire ban, which came in effect at noon Wednesday. All fires are now banned within the city, and that includes fireworks, sky lanterns, binary exploding targets, air curtain burners, burn barrels or cages of any size, chimineas and Tiki torches.