SMITHERS – With warmer weather revealing patches of snow free ground, the Northwest Fire Centre urges anyone who conducted a Category 2 or Category 3 pile burn over the winter to check their burn sites and ensure they are fully extinguished.
There is potential for winter burn piles to “holdover” until the spring. This means that
some piles burn deep and smoulder underground until warm weather and snow free conditions allow them to become active again.
There are currently no open burning prohibitions in effect in the Northwest Fire Centre, however anyone lighting a fire should take extra care. In early spring there is a period of increased wildfire risk, shortly after the snow has melted but before vegetation begins to green up, when dead grass, leaves and deadfall branches are more susceptible to burning. Trees, especially conifers, also have a low moisture content, which makes them especially vulnerable in early spring.
It is the responsibility of each individual to stay informed about the current prohibitions in place in the Northwest Fire Centre and to ensure that burning is done safely, in accordance with regulations. Get more information about open burning on the Open Fire and Safe Burning webpage.
If you intend to light a Category 3 fire, you must obtain a burn registration number beforehand. You can find detailed instructions on how to register for a burn number on the Burn Registration webpage.
Before lighting a fire of any size, monitor the upcoming weather forecast and check with your local governments to see if any local burning restrictions are in place.
Contact:
Fire Information Officer
BC Wildfire Service
Northwest Fire Centre
250 876-6844
Connect with the Province of B.C. at www.gov.bc.ca/connect