Campfire prohibition coming into effect for the Northwest Fire Centre



SMITHERS – At 12:00 p.m. (noon) on Saturday, August 10, 2024, a Category 1 (campfire) open burning prohibition will be in effect in the Northwest Fire Centre, excluding the Cassiar Fire Zone.

Category 2 and Category 3 open burning remains prohibited in the entire Northwest Fire Centre, along with the use of fireworks, including firecrackers, and sky lanterns.

In addition to Category 1 open fires being prohibited, the following activities and equipment are also restricted across the Northwest Fire Centre, except in the Cassiar Fire Zone:

  • Burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description;
  • Binary exploding targets;
  • Air curtain burners;
  • Tiki and similar kind of torches; and,
  • Chimineas

These open fire prohibitions will remain in effect until September 30, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. noon, or until the order is rescinded.

A map outlining the prohibition areas for the Northwest Fire Centre is below.

Please check the BC Wildfire Service Bans and Restrictions webpage for the most current prohibitions for your area. Prohibitions apply to all public and private lands unless otherwise specified (e.g. in an enactment or local government bylaw). Please check with your local authorities before lighting any fire.

Multiple factors are taken into consideration prior to restricting open fire use, including:

  • Current and forecasted weather conditions
  • The availability of firefighting resources
  • 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 by 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

Wildfire prevention is a shared responsibility. Human-caused wildfires are completely preventable and divert critical resources away from lightning-caused wildfires.

Anyone found in contravention of an open-burning prohibition may issue 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 an/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.

Be safe this summer and always report smoke, wildfire and unattended campfires. The public is one of our greatest resources when it comes to reporting wildfires. Approximately 40% of wildfires are reported by members of the public. There are a number of ways to report:

  • Call 1-800-663-5555 toll-free
  • Call *5555 from a cell phone
  • Submit directly through the BC Wildfire Service mobile app

Make a plan before you go, and check for:

And stay up-to-date on the latest BC Wildfire news on:

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