Effective at noon on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2015, all open fires will once again be allowed across the Cariboo Fire Centre’s jurisdiction.

Members of the public will be permitted to:

• Burn piles of woody debris.
• Burn stubble or grass.

Homeowners and industry personnel are encouraged to take the following precautions with outdoor burning activities:

• Have enough people, water and tools on hand to prevent the fire from escaping.
• Do not burn in windy conditions.
• Locate the fire site away from buildings, trees and other combustible materials.
• Create a fireguard of at least one metre around the planned fire site by clearing away twigs, grass, leaves and other combustible material.
• Never leave a fire unattended.
• Ensure the fire is completely extinguished and the ashes are cold to the touch before leaving the area for any length of time.

Anyone who lights, fuels or makes use of an open fire must comply with the Environmental Management Act and Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation. The act requires individuals to check local venting conditions prior to ignition. Local venting conditions can be found by calling 1 888 281-2992 or visiting: http://www.bcairquality.ca/readings/ventilation-index.html

A burn registration number is required for Category 3 open fires and can be obtained by calling 1 888 797-1717. A Category 3 open fire is a fire that burns material in piles larger than two metres high and three metres wide, or that burns stubble or grass over an area larger than 0.2 hectares.

An infographic on the difference between the categories of open fires is available here: http://bit.ly/1GlhE9l

Anyone lighting a fire must ensure that they conduct the burn safely and responsibly, as outlined in the Wildfire Act and its regulations. If an open fire escapes and is determined to have caused a wildfire, the person(s) responsible may be liable for fire suppression costs and damages.

The lifting of the current fire prohibition in the Cariboo Fire Centre applies to all BC Parks, Crown lands and private lands, but does 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 any fire.

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

For up-to-date information on current wildfire activity and open burning restrictions, call 1 888 3-FOREST or visit: www.bcwildfire.ca

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