Effective at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2014, campfires will once again be allowed throughout the Northwest Fire Centre’s jurisdiction.

The following activities will be allowed:

• Campfires, as defined in the wildfire regulation.
• Outdoor stoves and other portable campfire apparatuses.
• Tiki torches.

However, Category 2 and Category 3 open burning remains prohibited in some areas of the Northwest to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety. The following activities are prohibited in the Nadina Fire Zone, the Bulkley Fire Zone and the Skeena Fire Zone (with the exception of the former North Coast Forest District):

• Category 2 open fires, as defined in the wildfire regulation.
• Category 3 open fires, as defined in the wildfire regulation.
• Burn barrels.
• Fireworks.
• Sky lanterns.

A map of the affected areas is available online at: http://bit.ly/1qKhj2r

The Category 2 and Category 3 open burning prohibitions will remain in place until Sept. 15, 2014, or until the public is otherwise notified. These prohibitions cover all BC Parks, Crown lands and private lands, but do not apply within the boundaries of local governments that have forest fire prevention bylaws and are serviced by fire departments. Please check with local authorities for any other restrictions before lighting any fire.

The fire danger rating in the Northwest Fire Centre currently ranges from “moderate” to “extreme”. As the fire season has progressed, Wildfire Management Branch personnel have faced increasing levels of fire activity from naturally caused wildfires, so it is imperative that preventable, human-caused fires do not add to that workload.

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 may be subject to a penalty of up to $10,000 and may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

To report a wildfire or unattended campfire, call 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: http://www.bcwildfire.ca

You can also follow the latest wildfire news:

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

Media Contacts:

Olivia Pojar
Fire Information Officer
Wildfire Management Branch
Northwest Fire Centre
250 847-6639