PRINCE GEORGE – Effective at 12:00 p.m. (noon) on Thursday, June 8, 2023, all open fire will be prohibited throughout the Prince George Fire Centre. This prohibition applies to campfires (Category 1), Category 2 and Category 3 open fire as defined in the Wildfire Regulations.
This prohibition will remain in effect until 12:00 (noon) on Sunday, October 15, 2023 or until it is rescinded. Prohibitions apply to all public and private lands unless otherwise specified (e.g. in an enactment or local government bylaw). A map outlining the area of this prohibition is below.
In addition to prohibiting the use of open fire of any size, the following activities remain prohibited:
Fireworks
Sky lanterns
Burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description
Binary exploding targets
Air curtain burners
Chimineas
Tiki and similar kinds of torches
During campfire prohibitions, only CSA-rated or ULC-rated outdoor stoves or portable campfire apparatuses used outdoors for cooking, heat or ambiance, that burn charcoal briquettes, liquid fuel or gaseous fuel, and have a flame height less than 15 centimetres tall, may be used. Please check the BC Wildfire Service Bans and Restrictions webpage for the most current prohibitions for your area. 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.
A map of the affected area can be found here: http://ow.ly/sTs050OHj4k
Multiple factors are taken into consideration when assessing wildfire hazards and deciding whether to implement an open fire prohibition, including: current and forecasted weather conditions; the availability of firefighting resources; and the Buildup Index (BUI).
The BUI rating is an estimate of the total amount of fuel available for combustion on the landscape. It takes into account the fuel’s moisture content, since that can affect fire intensity.
Campfire prohibitions are implemented based on the particular region’s BUI values. The BUI allows the province’s six fire centres to follow a consistent and scientific process for evaluating the need for campfire prohibitions.
Wildfire prevention is a shared responsibility. Human-caused wildfires are completely preventable and divert critical resources away from lightning-caused wildfires.
For updates on the current wildfire situation, including full incident details for Wildfires of Note, please visit BCWildfire.ca.
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To report a wildfire, unattended campfire or open burning violation, please call 1-800-663-5555 toll-free, *5555 on a cell phone or directly through the BC Wildfire Service mobile app.