Beginning at noon on Thursday (May 11), the BC Wildfire Service is prohibiting Category 2 and 3 open burning across the Prince George Fire Centre. The ban will remain in force until October 15, or until it is rescinded.
The BCWS says this means all persons lighting, fuelling or using open fires within the restricted area must cease doing so and extinguish all such fires.
Category 2 and 3 open burning includes the use of the following equipment, materials and substances:
• Fireworks
• Sky Lanterns
• Burn Barrels or Burn Cages of any size or description
• Binary exploding targets
• Air Curtain Burners
This Order includes the Prince George, Stuart Nechako, Mackenzie, the Peace, and Fort Nelson Forest District.
This prohibition has been implemented to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety due to the high grass fire hazard and increased incidence of human-caused wildfires associated with Category 2 and Category 3 open burning.
The order does not apply to campfires that are a half-metre high by a half-metre wide (or smaller) or cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes.
Anyone found in contravention of an open-burning prohibition may be issued a violation ticket for $1,150, may be required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000 or, if convicted in court, may be 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.
