All open fire prohibitions to be lifted in the Northwest Fire Centre



SMITHERS – Effective at 12 p.m. (noon) PDT on Monday, September 29, 2025, Category 3 open burning prohibitions will be rescinded throughout the entire Northwest Fire Centre.

This applies to all areas that are outside of municipal boundaries. In addition, it applies to the following types of Crown land within municipal boundaries:

  • parks, conservancies and recreation areas (Park Act);
  • recreation sites, recreation trails, interpretive forest sites and trail-based recreation areas (Forest and Range Practices Act);
  • ecological reserves (Ecological Reserve Act);
  • wildlife management areas (Wildlife Act); and
  • private managed forest land (Private Managed Forest Land Act).

Municipalities may align with BC Wildfire Service prohibitions or impose their own prohibitions based on local conditions. If you are within a municipality, be sure to check if local prohibitions are in place. If you are within a regional district or improvement district, this prohibition applies as well as any local prohibition issued by the regional district or improvement district. BC Parks follows BC Wildfire Service prohibitions.

Category 2 open fire refers to:

  • one or two concurrently burning piles, each no larger than two metres high by three metres wide;
  • stubble or grass burning over an area less than 0.2 hectares in size.

Reminders about Category 2 open fire:

  • Anyone planning to conduct Category 2 open burning should always check the Ventilation Index, follow the Open Burning Smoke Control Regulations and practice safe burning.
  • Create a fireguard around the planned fire site by clearing away twigs, grass, leaves and other combustible material. Have an adequate source of pressurized water on hand.
  • Never leave a fire unattended and make sure the fire is fully extinguished with ashes cold to the touch before leaving the area for any length of time.

More information on Category 2 open fire safety click here.

Category 3 open fire refers to:

  • any fire larger than two metres high by three metres wide;
  • three or more concurrently burning piles, each no larger than two metres high by three metres wide;
  • the burning of stubble or grass over an area greater than 0.2 hectares; and
  • the burning of one or more windrows.

Anyone wishing to light a Category 3 open fire must obtain a burn registration number ahead of time by calling 1-888-797-1717. A burn registration number is not required to light a Category 2 open fire.

Reminders about Category 3 open burning:
All Category 3 open fires must comply with the Environmental Management Act and the Open Burning Smoke Control Regulations. This requires individuals to check local venting conditions prior to lighting a fire and to understand all other obligations associated with these regulations.

More information on Category 3 open fire safety click here.

If your fire causes or contributes to a wildfire, you may be fined up to $1 million and/or sentenced to up to three years in jail, as well as be responsible for all firefighting and associated costs. More information about the Wildfire Act and Regulation is available here.

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Contact:

BC Wildfire Service
Information Officer
Northwest Fire Centre
BCWS.NWFCInfo@gov.bc.ca
250-876-6844

Connect with the Province of B.C. at www.gov.bc.ca/connect