Effective at noon on June 15, 2017, the size of open fires will be restricted at all elevations throughout the entire Kamloops Fire Centre to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect the public.

Anyone conducting Category 2 or 3 fires anywhere in the Kamloops Fire Centre’s jurisdiction must extinguish those fires by noon on June 15. This prohibition will remain in effect until Oct. 15, 2017 or until further notice.

A map of the affected areas is available online at: http://ow.ly/dnlz30cro0A

Specifically, prohibited activities include:

• the burning of any waste, slash or other materials (piled or unpiled) larger than one-half metre by one-half metre
• the burning of more than two open fires of any size at the same time
• stubble or grass fires of any size over any area
• the use of fireworks or burning barrels of any size or description
• the use of binary exploding targets

This prohibition does not ban campfires that are a half-metre high by a half-metre wide (or smaller) and does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes. A poster explaining the different categories of open burning is available online at: http://ow.ly/znny309kJv5

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 protection bylaws in place and is serviced by a fire department. Before lighting any fire, residents should check with local government authorities to see if any other burning bylaws or restrictions are in place.

Anyone found in contravention of an open fire prohibition may be issued a ticket for $1,150 or, if convicted in court, be fined up to $100,000 and sentenced to one year in jail. If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person may be subject to a penalty of up to $10,000 and be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

The Kamloops Fire Centre would like to thank the public for its continued help in preventing wildfires. To report a wildfire, unattended campfire or open burning violation, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone.

For the latest information on wildfire activity, conditions and prohibitions, visit the BC Wildfire Service website: www.bcwildfire.ca

You can also follow the latest B.C. wildfire news:

• On Twitter: http://twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo
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