Effective at noon Pacific time on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, all open burning — including campfires, Category 2 open burns and Category 3 open burns — will be prohibited throughout the Omineca region within the Prince George Fire Centre’s jurisdiction, to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety.

The Omineca region includes:

• the Prince George Forest District
• the Vanderhoof Forest District
• the Fort St. James Forest District
• the Mackenzie Forest District

This prohibition will not apply to:

• the Peace Forest District
• the Fort Nelson Forest District

These steps are being taken due to current weather conditions and the number of fires that the BC Wildfire Service is responding to in the Omineca region. More lightning is in the forecast for the Prince George Fire Centre and firefighting resources must focus on existing fires and new, naturally occurring fires.

This prohibition will remain in effect until the public is otherwise notified. A map of the affected areas is available online: http://ow.ly/XgfQ30ljjDZ

This prohibition applies to all public and private land within the Prince George Fire Centre’s jurisdiction covered by this prohibition, unless specified otherwise (for example, in a local government bylaw). Please check with local government authorities for any other restrictions before lighting any fire.

The following activities will be prohibited in the Omineca region:

• campfires
• Category 2 open fires
• Category 3 open fires
• the burning of any waste, slash or other materials
• stubble or grass fires of any size over any area
• the use of stoves and other portable campfire apparatuses that are not CSA-approved or ULC-approved
• fires burning woody debris in outdoor stoves
• the use of tiki torches, fireworks, firecrackers, sky lanterns, burning barrels or burning cages of any size or description
• the use of binary exploding targets (e.g. for rifle target practice)

A poster explaining the different categories of open burning is available online: www.gov.bc.ca/openfireregs

This prohibition does not apply to CSA-rated or ULC-rated cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes, or to a portable campfire apparatus that uses briquettes, liquid or gaseous fuel, so long as the height of the flame is less than 15 centimetres.

Anyone found in contravention of an open burning prohibition may be issued a violation 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.

To report a wildfire or open burning violation, 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  

You can also follow the latest wildfire news on:

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