There’s good news for picnickers, campers and outdoor enthusiasts in the northern half of British Columbia.
As of Thursday, Aug. 1 at noon, the campfire ban will be rescinded.
Cooler conditions and rain that has fallen recently throughout the Northwest and Prince George fire centres have reduced the wildfire risk in those areas and bans that have been in effect since July 12 will be lifted.
That means fires no larger than a half-metre high and wide will be allowed.
However, bans remain in effect on Category 2 and Category 3 fires, and the use of fireworks, sky lanterns and burn barrels is not allowed.
“Fortunately we did see quite a bit of rain flow through the Northwest and Prince George fire centres over the last second days which has knocked down the fire activity in the northern half of the province,” said B.C. Wildfire director of provincial operations Cliff Chapman.
“The conditions up there are such that we feel confident that at least for the short term we can allow campfires to return. The fuels are not as receptive to starting fires as we see in the south right now and as we’ve seen in the north for the better part of the last three or four weeks.
“But I can’t say enough that should the conditions return in the Prince George and Northwest fire centres we will enact the campfire ban again. We’re obviously comfortable right now that campfires are not a threat to create wildfire right now.”
Chapman said the extended weather forecast for most of the province predicts seasonal or above-seasonal temperatures and little precipitation and that is what the BC Wildfire service is preparing for.
Although the Cariboo Fire Centre has not received as much rain as the northern half of province, cool temperatures in May and June delayed the snowpack melt at higher elevations and that’s dropped the level of drought conditions south of Prince George to Level 1 for the past two weeks. However, the campfire ban remains in effect for the Cariboo region.
The Antler Creek wildfire east of Quesnel that moved close to Wells and Barkerville is no longer considered a threat to those communities and all orders and alerts have been lifted.
Southeast of Prince George, the evacuation alerts for Beaver Creek east of McBride and Dunster-Croydon, south of Dunster, were lifted Monday, July 29.
Cooler conditions also dampened fires that threatened Ashcroft, Argenta and Cache Creek areas. The evacuation order for the Shetland Creek fire in the Venables Valley near Cache Creek was downgraded to an evacuation alert but there are still six fires of note burning in the central Okanagan and central Kootenay areas that have prompted evacuation alerts and orders.
“We have been fortunate to have had rain and cooler temperatures throughout much of the province over the last several days offering much-needed relief to many communities,” Bowinn Ma, minister of emergency management and climate readiness.
“Despite cooler weather I want to encourage everyone to continue being vigilant and be prepared, as we know the wildfire situation can change quickly and we may see more fires as temperatures warm up in the coming days,” said Ma.
At a news conference Tuesday, July 30 in Vancouver, the provincial government pledged continued support to Alberta and acknowledged residents and businesses in Valemount, McBride, Clearwater, Barrier, Kamloops and Prince George that stepped up to help the 25,000 people forced to flee the fire in Jasper last Wednesday night.
The Citizen attended the press conference remotely.
B.C. Forests Minister Bruce Ralston said the Beaverly Volunteer Fire Department, as well fire departments in McBride, Valemount and Quesnel, are now in Jasper assisting Alberta wildfire crews and Canada Parks Service personnel with equipment and firefighters providing structural protection for the town, after nearly 30 per cent of the buildings were destroyed in last week’s fire.
As of Tuesday morning there were close to 1,350 British Columbians under evacuation orders, most of whom live in the central Kootenay region where the Slocan Creek complex wildfire that forced the evacuation of the town of Silverton continues to burn. Another 2,800 people were under evacuation alerts.
Ma said everyone should have a grab-and-go bag containing an emergency plan, important personal documents, pet supplies and medication, and be prepared to leave home suddenly with plenty of food and water.
Check the websites www.preparedbc.ca/emergencyready, emergencyinfo.bc.ca and drivebc.ca for more information.
If you spot a wildfire call *5555.
While campfires are again permitted in the area, the current prohibition for any Category 2 and Category 3 open fires remains in effect.
Although fire danger ratings have dropped due to recent rainfall and cooler temperatures, the public is reminded to still exercise caution, the B.C. Wildfire Service advises.
Avoid having a campfire when it's windy, choose a proper fire pit or make a ring of rocks at least three metres from trees, shrubs, structures and debris, and do not leave a campfire unattended for any amount of time.
Multiple factors are taken into consideration prior to restricting open fire use, including:
- Current and forecasted weather conditions
- The availability of firefighting resources
- The Buildup Index (BUI)
A Category 1 fire, or campfire, is defined as an open fire that burns piled material no larger than 0.5 metres high by 0.5 metres wide. The following precautions must be in place when lighting or making use of a campfire:
- There is ready access to a shovel or at least eight litres of water the entirety of the time the campfire is lit
- There is a fuel break around the campfire, free of any debris or combustible materials
- The fire is fully extinguished and the ashes are cold to the touch before leaving the campfire for any length of time
Category 2 and Category 3 open burning remains prohibited, in addition to the use of the following:
- Fireworks
- Sky Lanterns
- Burn Barrels or Burn Cages of any size or description
- Binary exploding targets
Prohibitions apply to all public and private lands unless otherwise specified (e.g. in an enactment or local government bylaw). Please check with your local authorities before lighting any fire.
