Effective at noon on Thursday, July 2, 2015, all open fires — including campfires — will be prohibited in some areas of the Northwest Fire Centre to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety.

This prohibition will remain in effect in the following areas until the public is otherwise notified:

• Nadina Forest District
• Skeena Stikine Forest District (excluding the northern section of the Skeena Stikine Forest District, also known as the former Cassiar Forest District)
• Coast Mountain Forest District (excluding all areas northwest of a line running from the Alaska border through Rainbow Summit on Highway 16 to the south side of the Skeena River)

A map of the affected areas is available online at: http://bit.ly/1g8GLkh

The following are prohibited in these areas:

• campfires, as defined in the Wildfire Regulation
• industrial and backyard burning (Category 2 and Category 3 open fires)
• the use of outdoor stoves and any other portable campfire apparatus that is not CSA-approved or ULC-approved
• the use of fireworks, firecrackers, tiki torches, sky lanterns, chimineas and burning barrels
• the use of binary exploding targets

This prohibition does not apply to a cooking stove that uses gas, propane or briquettes, or to a portable campfire apparatus with a CSA or ULC rating that uses briquettes, liquid fuel or gaseous fuel, so long as the height of the flame is less than 15 centimetres.

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 to see if any other burning restrictions are in place.

To learn about the differences between campfires, Category 2 open fires and Category 3 open fires, please visit: http://bit.ly/1GlhE9l

Anyone found in contravention of an open burning prohibition may be issued a ticket for $345, required to pay an administrative penalty of $10,000 or, if convicted in court, 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 ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

To report a wildfire or an open burning violation, call *5555 on a cellphone or 1 800 663-5555 toll-free.

For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, visit: http://www.bcwildfire.ca

Follow the latest wildfire news on:

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

Media Contacts:

Olivia Pojar
Fire Information Officer
BC Wildfire Service
Northwest Fire Centre
250 847-6639