Effective at noon (Pacific time) on Monday, Oct. 26, 2015, Category 3 open fires will once again be permitted in the Boundary Fire Zone of the Southeast Fire Centre, due to a decreased risk of wildfires.

Although all categories of open fires are now permitted throughout the Southeast Fire Centre, the BC Wildfire Service is asking the public to remain vigilant with any fire use.

Homeowners and industry personnel are encouraged to take the following precautions when conducting any outdoor burning:

• Ensure that enough people, water, tools, equipment and a fire suppression system are on hand to control the fire and to prevent it escaping.
• Do not burn in windy conditions. The weather can change quickly and the wind may carry embers to other combustible material and start new fires.
• Establish an adequate fuel break around the planned fire site by clearing away twigs, grass, leaves and other combustible material.
• Never leave a fire unattended.
• Make sure your fire is completely extinguished and the ashes are cold to the touch before you leave the area for any length of time.

Anyone planning to conduct Category 3 fires or large-scale industrial burning must obtain a burn registration number ahead of time by calling 1 888 797-1717.

Always check the venting conditions before conducting an open burn. If conditions are rated “poor” or “fair”, open burning is restricted. The venting index can be found online at: http://bit.ly/1S1ONZO

In British Columbia, the Wildfire Act specifies a person’s legal obligations when using open fire on or within one kilometre of forest land or grassland. 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.

The Southeast Fire Centre encompasses the area extending from the United States border in the south to Mica Dam in the north, and from the Okanagan Highlands or Monashee Mountains in the west to the B.C.-Alberta border in the east. The Southeast Fire Centre includes the Selkirk and Rocky Mountain natural resource districts.

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

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