The Wildfire Management Branch is encouraging the public to exercise caution with any recreational activities in the backcountry. Fire conditions in the Prince George Fire Centre remain volatile and new incidents are being reported daily.

Due to unseasonably warm temperatures and extremely low relative humidity, areas east of the Rocky Mountains and north of the Peace River are experiencing very dry conditions. The fire danger rating in many areas is now “extreme”.

There is no lightning in the short-term weather forecast for the northeastern parts of the Prince George Fire Centre, so any new fires will likely be human-caused and therefore preventable. For example, exhaust from recreational vehicles can easily ignite fires in these conditions. Please check the condition of your vehicle’s muffler before driving into any grassy or wooded areas.

Category 2 and Category 3 open fires are currently prohibited throughout the Prince George Fire Centre. Campfires no larger than a half-metre tall by a half-metre wide are allowed, but they must be fully extinguished and the ashes must be cold to the touch before you leave the area for any length of time.

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 $10,000 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.

Up-to-date information on burning restrictions and current wildfire activity can be obtained online at www.bcwildfire.ca or by calling 1 888 3-FOREST. To report smoke, flames or an unattended open fire, call *5555 on a cellphone or 1 800 663-5555 toll-free.

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)