Effective at noon Pacific Time on Wednesday, July 16, 2014, campfires will be prohibited in the Cariboo Fire Centre west of the Fraser River to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety.

This campfire prohibition does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes, but does apply to campfires, open fires in an outdoor stove, tiki torches and any portable campfire apparatus that is not CSA/ULC approved.

Also effective at noon Pacific Time on July 16, 2014, open burning will be prohibited throughout the entire Cariboo Fire Centre. Anyone conducting Category 2 or Category 3 fires must extinguish any such fires by noon on July 16, 2014. The use of burning barrels, sky lanterns, fireworks will also be prohibited.

A map of the affected areas is available online at: http://bit.ly/1m1Ft5N

Specifically, prohibited activities include:  

East of the Fraser River:

• Category 2 open fires
• Category 3 open fires
• fireworks, including firecrackers
• sky lanterns
• burning barrels

 West of the Fraser River:

• campfires
• Category 2 Open Fires
• Category 3 Open Fires
• fireworks, including firecrackers
• sky lanterns
• burning barrels, chimineas (wood-burning patio heaters), tiki-type torches
• outdoor stoves and portable campfire apparatuses that are not CSA or ULC approved, or if the flame exceeds a height of 15 centimetres

These prohibitions will remain in place until Sept. 30, 2014, or until the public is informed otherwise. These prohibitions cover all BC Parks, Crown lands and private lands, but do not apply within the boundaries of a local government that has forest fire prevention bylaws and is serviced by a fire department. Please check with local authorities for any other restrictions before lighting a fire.

With the current trend of warm and dry weather, wildfires in the Cariboo Fire Centre may display aggressive behaviour and require additional fire suppression resources. Human-caused wildfires divert critical resources and fire crews from responding to natural wildfires.

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

The Cariboo Fire Centre covers an area of about 10.3 million hectares, stretching from Loon Lake in the south to just north of Quesnel at the Cottonwood River. From east to west, the boundaries stretch from the western edge of Wells Gray Provincial Park to the eastern boundary of Tweedsmuir Provincial Park.

Report a wildfire or unattended campfire by calling 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone. For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, go to: www.bcwildfire.ca 

Learn More:

You can follow the latest B.C. wildfire news:

• On Twitter: http://twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo
• On Facebook: http://facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo

Media Contacts:

Sandra Wagner
Fire Information Officer
Wildfire Management Branch
Cariboo Fire Centre
250 989-2665