WILLIAMS LAKE – Effective at 12 p.m. (noon) PDT on Sept. 7, 2023, the Category 1 campfire prohibition will be rescinded in the Quesnel Forest District, 100 Mile House Forest District and the Cariboo-Chilcotin Forest District on the east side of the high-water mark of the Fraser River as shown in the map below.
Multiple factors are taken into consideration when assessing wildfire hazards and deciding whether to implement or rescind Category 1 campfire prohibitions, including: current and forecasted weather conditions and fire behaviour; the availability of firefighting resources; and 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 and 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.
A reminder that Category 2 and Category 3 prohibitions remain in place throughout the Cariboo Fire Centre, including the Tsilhqot’in (Xeni Gwet’in) Declared Title Area. The following activities, equipment, materials and substances are also currently prohibited:
- Fireworks
- Sky Lanterns
- Burn Barrels or Burn Cages of any size or description
- Binary exploding targets
- Air Curtain Burners
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.
Human-caused wildfires are completely preventable and divert critical resources away from naturally caused fires. Always practice safe, responsible open fire use.
To report a wildfire, unattended campfire or open burning violation, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cell phone.
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Contact:
Fire Information Officer
Cariboo Fire Centre
BC Wildfire Service
778 799-2100
Connect with the Province of B.C. at www.gov.bc.ca/connect