Effective at noon PDT on Wednesday, May 13, 2015, Category 2 and Category 3 open fires will be prohibited in the Prince George Fire Centre to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety.

Anyone conducting Category 2 or 3 fires anywhere in the Prince George Fire Centre must extinguish any such fires by noon on May 13, 2015. This prohibition will remain in effect until Aug. 30, 2015, or until the public is otherwise notified.

The Prince George Fire Centre extends from the borders of the Yukon and Northwest Territories in the north to Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, Cottonwood River and Robson Valley in the south, and from the Alberta border in the east to the Skeena Mountains in the west.

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

Specifically, prohibited activities will include:

• the burning of stubble or grass
• any fire larger than a campfire
• fireworks and firecrackers
• burn barrels
• tiki torches and similar kinds of torches

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

This prohibition covers all BC 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 authorities regarding any current prohibitions.

Anyone who lights, fuels or uses an open fire when a fire prohibition is in place or fails to comply with an open fire prohibition may be issued a ticket for $345 or, if convicted in court, be fined up to $100,000 and/or 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 $100,000 and ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

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

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

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
• Facebook at http://facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo

Media Contacts:

Jillian Kelsh
Fire Information Officer
Wildfire Management Branch
Prince George Fire Centre
250 565-6129 (office)
250 961-4176 (cell)