Effective at noon on Saturday, May 5, 2018, Category 2 open fires and the use of fireworks will be prohibited within the Dawson Creek, Fort St. John and Fort Nelson fire zones.

The BC Wildfire Service is implementing these prohibitions to help prevent wildfires sparked by Category 2 burns, due to dry and windy conditions in the forecast. These prohibitions will remain in place until the public is otherwise notified. 

A map indicating the areas within the Prince George Fire Centre that are affected by these prohibitions is available online at: http://ow.ly/mXjb30jPc0Z

Specifically, these prohibitions apply to Category 2 fires:

• the open burning of any material (piled or unpiled) smaller than two metres high and three metres wide
• burning barrels
• fireworks
• stubble or grass fires over an area smaller than 2,000 square metres

However, the prohibition does not apply to Category 3 fires or campfires that are a half-metre high by a half-metre wide or smaller, or to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes. Anyone lighting a campfire must maintain a fireguard by removing flammable debris from around the campfire area, and they must have a hand tool or at least eight litres of water available nearby to properly extinguish the fire.

A poster explaining the different categories of open burning is available online at: http://ow.ly/znny309kJv5

These prohibitions cover all BC Parks, Crown lands and private lands, but do not apply within the boundaries of a local government that has forest fire prevention bylaws in place and is serviced by a fire department. Please check with local government authorities for any other restrictions before lighting any fire.

Anyone found in contravention of an open burning prohibition may be issued a ticket for $1,150, 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.

Report a wildfire or unattended campfire by calling 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  

You can also follow the latest wildfire news:

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