Campfire Prohibition remains in Prince George Fire Centre jurisdiction



PRINCE GEORGE – Upon further review and with the ongoing wildfire activity within the Province, the B.C. Wildfire Service has made the determination that the complete Open Burning Prohibition including Category 1 Open Burning (campfires) issued on June 8, 2023 at 12 p.m. (PDT) will remain in effect.

Category 1, 2 and 3 open burning prohibitions will remain in place throughout the Prince George Fire Centre. This prohibition will remain in effect until 12 p.m. (PDT) on Sunday, October 15, 2023 or until it is rescinded.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 prohibition areas is below.

In addition to the above noted open fire prohibitions, 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

Please check the BC Wildfire Service Bans and Restrictions webpage for the most current prohibitions for your area.

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

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 and Open-burning 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.

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.

For updates on the current wildfire situation, including full incident details for Wildfires of Note, please visit BCWildfire.ca.

You can follow the latest BC Wildfire news on:

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.

Contact:

Prince George Fire Centre Information Team

BC Wildfire Service | Ministry of Forests

250-561-4629

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