A prison in suburban Abbotsford, B.C., was in lockdown Saturday after inmates set fires in the exercise yard to protest several issues, including press coverage of a story about the facility.

Some 170 inmates at the Matsqui medium-security prison took part in the protest that began around 9 p.m. PT Friday when they refused to return to their living units.

Fires were set to the garbage, foliage and a gazebo-like structure in the exercise yard, said prison spokesman Dave Lefebvre.

A negotiator and emergency response team were brought in to help escort the inmates back to their cells, finally completing the transfer by 3:30 a.m. Saturday. Prison officials then put the facility into lockdown.

Lefebvre said inmates were upset that access to recreational areas had been limited. They were also upset by news reports about a prison guard stating that he'd been reprimanded for breaching an inmates' right to privacy.

The guard, Terry Leger, told B.C. children's ministry that he suspected a woman of using her baby to smuggle drugs into Matsqui.

He cited prison records that showed the woman had tested positive for cocaine residue eight times and her child tested positive twice during visits to the facility over the span of five months.

Correctional Service Canada launched a disciplinary hearing when they found out, alleging he breached inmate confidentiality when he made the report.

"Much like anyone in the public who has access to media, [the inmates] did manage to watch and read some of that media. They were unhappy with some of the things that were said in the media coverage," said Lefebvre.

Tim Veresh, executive director of the John Howard Society, said inmates carefully follow current events and issues that involve inmates can stir up a lot of emotions.

"The frustration sometimes comes from the fact when they are not able to share what their opinion or voices are, or share their perspective," he told CBC News Saturday.

Meanwhile, the prison will remain on lockdown as officials conduct cell-by-cell searches to ensure everything is safe.