Category 2 open burning will be allowed again throughout the Cariboo Fire Centre’s jurisdiction, effective at noon on June 26, 2019.

The BC Wildfire Service is rescinding the existing prohibition due to lower fire danger ratings in the region and expected rainfall and cooler temperatures.

A map of the affected areas is available online at: http://ow.ly/dEQQ30p0q3V

Anyone who intends to conduct a Category 2 open burn anywhere in the Cariboo Fire Centre is urged to exercise caution. It is the responsibility of the individual who lights a fire to ensure that burning is done in a safe and responsible manner, in accordance with open burning regulations. Check with local government authorities for any other restrictions before lighting any fire.

The following activities will also be allowed within the Cariboo Fire Centre’s jurisdiction as of noon on June 26, 2019:

• the burning of stubble or grass over an area less than 0.2 hectares
• the use of sky lanterns
• the use of fireworks, including firecrackers
• the use of tiki torches and similar kinds of torches
• the use of binary exploding targets (e.g. for target practice)  
• the use of burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description
• the use of air curtain burners  

However, Category 3 open fires will remain prohibited throughout the Cariboo Fire Centre until Sept. 29, 2019 or until the public is otherwise notified. A poster explaining the different categories of open burning is available online at: http://ow.ly/znny309kJv5

Anyone found in contravention of an open burning prohibition may be issued a ticket for $1,150, required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $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, as well as the value of resources damaged or destroyed by the wildfire.

The Cariboo Fire Centre stretches from Loon Lake near Clinton in the south, to the Cottonwood River near Quesnel in the north and from Tweedsmuir Provincial Park in the west, to Wells Gray Provincial Park in the east.

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 current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, visit: www.bcwildfire.ca

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