The Province of BC has announced that campfires will be permitted throughout the Northwest and Prince George Fire Centres as of noon today, Wednesday, July 28.
Attached and below is an information bulletin regarding the rescind of the campfire prohibition; however, Category 2 and 3 open fires remain prohibited.
Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations & Rural Development
BC Wildfire Service
For Immediate Release
July 28, 2021
Campfire prohibition to be lifted throughout Northwest and Prince George Fire Centres
SMITHERS – Campfires will be permitted throughout the Northwest and Prince George Fire Centre beginning at 12:00 noon, Pacific Daylight Time on Wednesday July 28th, 2021.
Although fire danger ratings have declined in the region due to recent rainfall and cooler temperatures, the public is strongly encouraged to exercise extreme caution with the use of any campfire. It is the responsibility of the individual to ensure that burning is done in a safe and responsible manner and in accordance with regulations. Before lighting any fire, check with local government authorities to see if any local burning restrictions are in place.
While campfires will be allowed, Category 2 and Category 3 open fires remain prohibited, which includes the use of fireworks and sky lanterns. These restrictions will remain in place until October 15th, 2021, or until the order is rescinded.
Map: Northwest Fire Centre Prohibition Areas for Category 2 and 3 open fires
A poster explaining the different categories of open burning and applicable regulations is available online: www.gov.bc.ca/openfireregs.
Campfires
A campfire is defined as any fire smaller than 0.5 metres high by 0.5 metres wide.
Reminders about campfires:
Never light a campfire or keep it burning in windy conditions. Weather can change quickly, and the wind may carry embers to other combustible material.
Maintain a fireguard around your campfire. This is a fuel-free area where all flammable materials (grass, leaves, kindling, etc.) have been removed right down to the soil.
Never leave a fire unattended.
Make sure that any fire is completely extinguished, and the ashes are cold to the touch before leaving the area for any length of time.
Other activities which were previously banned, but will now be permitted include:
The use of burn barrels or burn cages
The use of binary exploding targets
The use of tiki and similar kinds of torches
The use of chimineas
The use of outdoor stoves or other portable campfire apparatus without a Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or Underwriter Laboratories of Canada (ULC) rating
The use of air curtain burners
The province is divided into six regional fire centres, to view the boundaries for the Northwest Fire Centre and the Prince George Fire Centre visit http://ow.ly/OMn950FFxhm.
To report a wildfire or an open burning violation, call *5555 on a cell phone or 1-800-663-5555 toll-free. For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, visit http://www.bcwildfire.ca.
Follow the latest wildfire news on:
Twitter at: http://twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo
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Contact:
Fire Information Officer
Northwest Fire Centre
B.C. Wildfire Service
[email protected]
250-876-6844