Effective at noon on Saturday, June 15, the current open burning ban will be expanded throughout the entire Kamloops Fire Centre to include the Salmon Arm and Clearwater fire zones, in order to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect the public.

Anyone planning to light Category 2 or 3 fires in the Salmon Arm and Clearwater fire zones must extinguish all such fires by noon on June 15.

This prohibition will remain in place until Oct. 1, 2013 in the Clearwater and Salmon Arm fire zones and until Oct. 15, 2013 in the Kamloops, Vernon, Penticton, Merritt and Lillooet fire zones, or until the public is informed otherwise.

A map of the affected areas is available online at: http://bit.ly/1952BMI

Specifically, this open fire prohibition applies to:

• the burning of any waste, slash or other materials

• the burning of stubble or grass

• the use of fireworks, sky lanterns or burning barrels of any size or description

This prohibition does not ban campfires that are a half-metre high by a half-metre wide (or smaller) and does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes.

This prohibition covers all B.C. parks, Crown lands and private lands, but it does not apply within the boundaries of a local government that has forest fire prevention bylaws in place and is serviced by a fire department. Before lighting any fire, residents should check with local civic authorities regarding any current prohibitions.

The Kamloops Fire Centre stretches from the northern border of Wells Gray Park to the U.S. border to the south, and from the Bridge River Glacier west of Gold Bridge to the Monashee Mountains east of Lumby.

Anyone planning to conduct an open burn before this prohibition takes effect should review the Information Bulletin at: http://bcwildfire.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=1865

For information about open burning and tips on making responsible burning decisions, please download one of the open burning guides at: http://bcwildfire.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/Bans.asp

Anyone found in contravention of an open fire prohibition may be issued a ticket for $345 or, if convicted in court, be fined up to $100,000 and sentenced to one year in jail. If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person may be subject to a penalty of up to $10,000 and be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

To report a wildfire or unattended campfire, call *5555 on your cell phone or call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free.

For the latest information on fire activity, conditions and prohibitions, visit the Wildfire Management Branch website: www.bcwildfire.ca

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Media Contact:

Melissa Welsh
Fire Information Officer
Wildfire Management Branch
Kamloops Fire Centre
250 554-5964
melissa.welsh@gov.bc.ca