The BC Wildfire Service is encouraging the public to exercise caution with any outdoor burning.

The weekend weather forecast is calling for mainly dry and warm conditions, with temperatures above seasonal averages throughout the region.

Since April 1, 2016, 12 fires have burned 88 hectares in the Prince George Fire Centre. BC Wildfire Service crews or local fire departments have extinguished four of them, while the other eight are currently in the patrol stage. All of these fires are suspected to have been caused by people and resulted from grass burning or pile burning.

Anyone wishing to light an open fire must watch for changing weather conditions and follow all burning regulations to reduce the number of preventable wildfires. No fire of any size should ever be left unattended.

People planning to do any large-scale industrial burning or conduct a grass burn larger than 0.2 hectares (Category 3 fires) must obtain a burn registration number ahead of time by calling
1 888 797-1717.

People are also required to check venting conditions before conducting an open burn. If venting conditions are rated “poor” or “fair”, open burning is restricted. The venting index can be found online: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/epdpa/venting/venting.html

If an open fire escapes, the individual responsible may be held liable for fire suppression costs and damages. People must ensure that they are burning in a safe, responsible manner that is in accordance with regulations and current conditions.

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

Currently no burning prohibitions are in place in the Prince George Fire Centre, but the public is advised to check the BC Wildfire Service website for the latest information on burning restrictions: http://bcwildfire.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/Bans.asp

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

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

You can follow the latest wildfire news:

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

Learn More:

A poster explaining the different categories of open burning is available online: http://bit.ly/1GlhE9l